MONOPOLY chiefs wanted to have their cake and eat it when they approached Radcliffe bakery Newmans.

Confectionery couple Gary and Val Newman, who have been running their firm from the Turks Road shop for eight years, were asked to bake celebration cakes to promote new versions of the world's most popular board game.

But when they were asked to bake a Monopoly Manchester United cake, boss Gary had reservations. Gary, a lifelong MUFC fan, has lately been watching splinter team FC United at Gigg Lane. The club was set up by disgruntled fans following the take-over of Malcolm Glazer at Old Trafford.

He said: "I'm still not sure whether I will be baking the Manchester United cake. Depends how much they offer me, and I don't mean Monopoly money!"

Newmans have also been asked to make the Wigan Monopoly cake after the town was chosen to be honoured with its own gameboard.

But Gary also wasn't sure he wanted to take that chance, as many of his customers are from nearby Bolton, the town that lost the contest against Wigan to be immortalised by Monopoly, which celebrates its 70th birthday this year.

Newmans itself is a destination in the Lancashire version of the game, which has been on the shelves since 2000.The firm has since been baking cakes to celebrate the launch of additions to the game's title.

Graham Barnes, from Monopoly, said they are still banking on Gary putting his loyalties to one side. He said: "We have been really pleased with the cakes that have been produced by Newmans so far and really hope they we can convince them to bake the cakes for the Wigan and Manchester United editions."

The cakes are used at the launch of each new edition, which take place at the equivalent of Mayfair on each board.

The Wigan version is to be launched on October 21 at Wigan Pier and the Manchester United game towards the end of the year.