PLANS have been unveiled to transform Westhoughton's crumbling market hall.

Westhoughton councillors were presented with two schemes to revive the market's fortunes at a meeting with the borough's market directors.

Councillors agreed in principal to a strategy which would see the number of stalls cut by a third from 75 to about 50 and welcomed proposals to include a youth and community centre in the hall.

Market bosses used final year architectural technology students from Bolton Institute to draw up the plans and said that the work could be done by council building apprentices.

Raffaele Tuccillo, borough market manager, admitted that the market had lapsed into an unacceptable state and said the work was necessary to attract shoppers who have abandoned Westhoughton Market for those at Bolton and Manchester.

He said the market had the potential to be used every day and said he hoped to introduce farmers' markets and computer fairs.

The refurbishment is expected to take six months and will start in the New Year.

Mr Tuccillo said the scheme would be costed and returned for council approval at the end of October.