work finally started today on Bolton's new £2 million sports and leisure complex.

The centre, at Bolton College's Manchester Road campus, will be open before the end of the year.

It will replace the old Silverwell Street sports centre, which the council closed last October amid a public outcry.

Local people complained that the new centre would be too far from the town centre and claimed the needs of students, sports people and exhibition organisers might conflict. However, the council insisted that it had no alternative to shutting the old Silverwell Street centre and went into partnership with the college to build the new development.

It will boast a major exhibition hall, cafe, sports hall, childcare centre, squash courts and bar.

The scheme also includes a 200 space car park, improved access for disabled people and direct access for exhibition hall users. The complex is designed to provide on-the-job experience for students on a wide range of courses, such as leisure management, retailing, business studies and tourism.

Cllr Cliff Morris, chairman of the college governors, said: "This council-college partnership is a national 'first'.

"It is one of the most exciting sports and educational partnership projects ever tackled in this country.

"It puts the town and the college right at the front of training provision for the leisure staff of tomorrow, while giving sports people an enviable new facility." Cllr Gerald Riley, leisure services chairman, added: "After all the hard work involved in getting the go-ahead for this venture, it is great news that work is finally underway."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.