THE race is on to set up Bolton's first - and maybe only - multi-screen cinema.

Three ambitious leisure complexes in the pipeline include plush state-of-the-art cinemas. They are:

The Bolton Wanderers sport village scheme at Red Moss, Horwich.

The £10m complex unveiled yesterday for the Bolton greyhound stadium.

And a £15m development in the Tonge Valley.

The key to going ahead will be attracting investment from a major cinema operator.

But fears are growing that once one is underway, interest in the other two schemes will be lost.

Chartered surveyor Mr John Walley, who is representing Tudor Properties, the company involved in the Tonge Valley scheme, said: "Bolton cannot take three cinemas.

"The first one to get through the planning process and find an operator will go ahead, the others won't."

This scheme is due to go before Bolton planning councillors later today.

Bolton Wanderers are waiting for Environment Secretary John Gummer to make a decision.

Developers The Raven Group are now seeking planning permission for the Bolton Greyhound Stadium at Raikes Park, Manchester Road.

Mr Howard Barritt, Bolton Council's head of development control, said: "We judge each application simply on planning grounds.

"We would judge whether the site is suitable and then really it is for the market to decide which will go ahead." Bolton has just one cinema at present, the three-screen Cannon in Bradshawgate.

The nearest multiscreen cinema is the huge 12-screen theatre at Pilsworth Industrial Estate in Bury.

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