A £27,000 a year specialist HIV and AIDS worker is to be appointed in Bolton to help prevent the shocking rise of the disease.

Town hall bosses are taking action after it was revealed that there has been an 87 per cent rise in HIV cases in the borough over the past three-and-a-half years.

The aim of the new AIDS worker will be to reduce the transmission of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases and bring down the numbers of undiagnosed people with the virus.

The job will also involve trying to improve the health and social care of people living with HIV and reducing the stigma associated with it.

Cllr Bob Ronson, executive member for social services and health on Bolton Council, said HIV was a growing problem in the borough.

He said: "We are experiencing problems with HIV in Bolton and our services are underfunded. Things are getting worse and we decided we could benefit from a specialist in this area to help get a handle on the problem.

"At first HIV seemed to be a problem suffered by a people of certain sexual preferences but now it seems to be spreading among heterosexuals."

There are currently 129 people living in Bolton with the virus. Most sufferers are white men in their 30s.

The new post, which is expected to be approved by Cllr Julia Silvester, executive member for human resources, will be funded jointly between Bolton Council and the Primary Care Trust.

It will cost the council £30,000 a year, which will be funded directly from the Government's AIDS support grant, and the PCT will contribute a further £35,700 towards costs.

The position will be advertised with a salary of up to £27,000 in April 2005.

Mary Cropper, director of service provision at the PCT, said: "I am really delighted that we're close to being able to recruit to this post, which will bring the benefits of a local, integrated and specialist service to Bolton people who have HIV/AIDS and their families.

"It will improve access to care - currently Bolton residents have to access to this type of service from agencies in Manchester - and complete the "all round", holistic service we can provide here.

"The post fits really well with the development of our integrated sexual health network, which brings together the different aspects of health and social care into one co-ordinated and comprehensive team.

"It is in line with the NHS Plan and supports the move to multi-agency working, rather than people having to deal with several different agencies."