THE massive Spirit of Sport sculpture will do for Bolton what the Angel of the North has done for Tyneside, a councillor claimed.

Cllr Martyn Cox, the council's executive member for culture, also believes the giant golden sculpture will give a massive lift to both the local economy and the profile of the borough.

He was speaking after the council unveiled the £250,000 plans for the 85 feet high sculpture at De Havilland Way - to be the tallest piece of public art built in Britain since Nelson's Column in 1843. It will also tower above Anthony Gormley's famous Angel of the North in Gateshead which is 65 ft tall.

Cllr Cox said: "Once this is in place people will realise just how impressive it is.

"This is the culmination of a year's work and I believe we will have something to be proud of."

The Spirit of Sport, which will be sited on the Middlebrook roundabout will be covered by more than a thousand panels emblazoned with pictures of sporting heroes - both professional and amateur - from around the borough.

Bolton Forum of Sport estimates that people participate in 65 different sports and activities ranging from football, to aikido to yoga.

Cllr Cox added: "Bolton has more amateur sports clubs than anywhere else in the North-west and it is fitting that we should pay tribute to the impact of sport in this way."

Stockport-based artists Eaton Waygood Associates beat off competition from four other major public art designers to win the commission which will be funded by the European Union's Regional Development Fund and the North West Development Agency.

It was chosen by a committee featuring representatives from a range of organisations from Bolton Institute, Bolton Council, Bolton Wanderers and North West Arts.

In recent years Middlebrook has undergone huge economic change as a number of businesses and major stores have moved into the area.

The relocation of Bolton Wanderers has given the area national significance.

Project manager Mike Taylor said: "The funding has been made available to create an expression of the dynamism of the economic activity we are seeing in the Middlebrook area.

"Before the recent economic activity in this area it had lost its direction with the demise of the Loco works but this will create jobs, wealth and prosperity for all of the borough."

The Spirit of Sport will be the tallest piece of public art built in Britain since Nelson's Column in 1843.

Nelson's Column stands at 185 ft.

At 85 ft, it will be the equivalent in height of a seven storey building or five double-decker buses.

The giant golden structure will be 14 ft taller than the country's current tallest sculpture, the Tyne Anew also known as the 'Easel of the North' in Tyneside.

It will also tower above Anthony Gormley's famous Angel of the North in Gateshead which is 65 ft tall.

But both will be eclipsed by the 184 ft B of the Bang which is to be created at the City of Manchester Stadium to celebrate the success of the 2002 Commonwealth Games.