THE popular Bolton marathon is set to return for the first time in more than 30 years.

A half marathon will take place in the town in the autumn and organisers hope a full length race will be held next year.

More than 1,000 people are expected to line up for the Bolton Community Half Marathon on September 4.

If all goes well, a new 26-mile marathon will take place in and around the town on the same date in 2017.

The new races are being organised by Horwich-based pals Stewart Jones and Colin Rigby, who run the Mad Bull Events company and organise local races such as the Rivington 10 Mile Trail and the Race the Train event between Bury and Rawtenstall.

The pair — who are both runners — said they would love to bring a full-length 26-mile race back to Bolton for the first time in 30 years.

The Bolton Marathon was a nationally recognised event in the early 1980s and was well known for its notoriously tough finishing straight along Plodder Lane.

The marathon ran between 1981 and 1987.

Mr Jones, who completed the London Marathon at the age of 50 and runs for the Burnden Road Runners, said: “The Bolton Marathon was one of the biggest races in England — I think it had 11,000 people taking part at its height.

“We organise lots of different races and quite a few people in the various running clubs in Bolton have said they would like to see the marathon return to the borough.

“We thought the way to start it would be with a half marathon and then all being well we can bring the full distance race back to Bolton next year.”

The 57-year-old, from Horwich, added: “I completed the London Marathon when I was 50 and it is a fantastic experience, so it would be great to offer people that opportunity in Bolton.”

Mr Rigby added: “I completed the Bolton Ironman and absolutely loved finishing in the town centre — so it is exciting to be able to offer that moment to other people.”

Both races are planned to start and finish in Bolton’s historic town centre in the same way that the hugely successful Ironman events do.

Mr Jones added: “That has always been the plan. There are so many beautiful buildings in the town centre such as Bolton Town Hall and Le Mans Crescent, so it seems the perfect place to start and finish.”

The half marathon will start from Le Mans Crescent in the town centre at 10am on September 4.

The route will head up Chorley New Road before turning down Overdale Drive and on to Lostock Train Station.

Runners will be directed along Regent Road and then across Regent Park Golf Course before heading towards Wingates and the A6.

The route will take the participants through Westhoughton and on to Bolton Road and then Chew Moor Lane, before returning to Lostock Train Station.

The runners will then continue the original route on the way back into the town centre.

Entrance for the race will cost £30 and finishers will be handed medals and T-shirts on crossing the finish line.

The race will be timed using state-of-the-art disposable timing chips and the course will be officially measured as accurate by the Association of UK Course Measurers to standards set by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Entrants will be encouraged to raise money for charity ahead of the race — with Bolton Hospice already signed up to back the event.

Council bosses have welcomed news of the half marathon as well as the prospect of a full marathon returning to Bolton.

The council’s cabinet member for culture, youth and sport, Cllr John Byrne, said: "We are really pleased to support this race.

"Bolton has a great track record of holding high quality sporting events and this will be a welcome addition to the calendar.

"The half marathon will take place on closed roads with a town centre start and finish. It's a relatively flat route and will give runners a good chance of getting a fast time.

"We know from events like the Ironman UK Triathlon that the Bolton public really get behind those taking part, and we're sure the crowds will come out for this."

Council leader Cliff Morris added: “We used to have a full marathon in Bolton so let’s hope we can resurrect that.

“These type of events are great for Bolton.”