SHADOW Culture Minister Ed Vaizey MP took a tour of Bolton Museum and declared it "a fantastic place".

Mr Vaizey was in town for a Conservative Party fundraiser and took time out to tour the museum and central library.

"The staff took me around the museum and they were brilliant.

"To come across Crompton's Mule and have it described as more important than the Egyptian pyramids really brings the importance of Bolton's role in the industrial revolution to life."

Mr Vaizey was speaking as Conservative leader David Cameron announced plans to plough an additional £182 million of National Lottery cash into community or heritage projects, such as libraries and museums.

Mr Cameron claimed the Government had diverted £3.8 billion away from the four "good causes" - arts, sports, heritage and charities - the lottery was originally set up to benefit, in order to fund core government priorities like health and education.

The Tories have promised to introduce a National Lottery Independence Bill which would free the lottery from ministerial interference.

Launching the Bill, Mr Cameron said: "By funding grassroots initiatives that have nothing to do with politicians, the National Lottery puts power into the hands of communities and allows them to transform their quality of life."

The additional money could provide 74 swimming pools or 173 athletics tracks a year, or pay the urgent repair bills for all English cathedrals, or restore funding to all the organisations under threat from Arts Council cuts, Mr Cameron said.

Mr Vaizey said the move would allow the Lottery to fund more improvements to buildings like libraries and galleries, such as the restoration of Bolton Central Library's main entrance in 2005 which saw the building restored to the art deco glory of the 1930s.

He said: "We are used to reading about libraries crumbling and to come to this amazing building and see it light and airy, open late and full of people - including children - is fantastic.

"Our plans would see more projects like this put in place."

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: "The National Lottery is not subject to ministerial or political interference.

"The changes to the lottery 10 years ago - earmarking funding for health, education and environmental projects as well as the voluntary sector - reflected the public's view about what type of good causes should benefit."