CHURCHES across Bolton will mark the 750th anniversary of the granting of the town's charter with special thanksgiving services.

Thanks for the town's achievements and history on Sunday, January 19, bringing a weekend of anniversary celebrations to an end.

For more news on the charter please click on our special report Celebrating 750 years of Bolton life

Cllr John Walsh, Mayor of Bolton, will visit every part of the borough during the day to light up one church in each township with a lantern. And every church in Bolton has been asked to say a special prayer giving thanks for the life of the town.

The services commemorate the granting in 1253 by William de Ferrers, the Earl of Derby, of a charter to Bolton making the town a free borough. It was the beginnings from the town of today emerged.

Canon Michael Williams, vicar of Bolton, will be lead the thanksgiving service at Bolton Parish Church.

He said: "I think we need to be proud of our history, proud of our achievements and proud of what the future is going to hold for us. It really is a celebration of pride and achievement.

"Against some considerable odds -- the cotton trade has almost vanished from Bolton -- we have still kept the place alive. It gives us an opportunity to look back over 750 years and see what has been achieved and use it as a springboard for the future."

Canon Williams said the service would be very much in the style of TV's Songs of Praise. There will also be speakers who will talk about the town's history, industry, education and cultural diversity and Smithills Brass Band will perform.

Before the service begins, there will be a candlelit procession through the town centre, beginning at the Town Hall between 3.30 pm and 3.45pm. Children will carry electric candles to Bolton Parish Church in time for the start of the service at 4pm.

Two days before the church services, -- on Friday, Januay 17 -- a charity ball in celebration of the anniversary will take place at the Reebok Stadium.

And over Friday and Saturday, January 18 and 19, about 10,000 people are expected to flock to a medieval market in Churchgate.

The Parish Church will be full of stalls selling collectables and antiques.