BOLTON West MP Ruth Kelly turned 33 today, but as the General Election campaign swung into action, celebrations were definitely not on the cards.

Ms Kelly, who defends a slender majority of 7,072, was already too busy trying to snuff out the challenge of Tory contender James Stevens and Liberal Democrat Barbara Ronson than blowing out the candles on her cake.

Her seat -- which ranks as the highest of the three Bolton constituencies on Conservative and Lib Dem target lists -- is expected to be the focus of the town's most intense electioneering during a four week long campaign.

Labour insiders are hinting that some of the party's biggest guns will be wheeled out in support of Ms Kelly.

A return by Prime Minister Tony Blair, who visited the constituency during the 1997 contest, is a distinct possibility.

The Tories wasted no time launching their Bolton North-east campaign yesterday, with Shadow Foreign Secretary Francis Maude popping up in Astley Bridge only hours after the June 7 poll was announced.

He is predicted to be the first of several Conservative big-hitters to descend on the constituency, which Labour's David Crausby captured in 1997 after 14 years of Tory control.

Although his 12,669 majority makes the seat only 209th on the Tory target list, it is considered a real barometer of their fortunes.

For the Conservatives to defy opinion polls and win the election, seats on their target list up to and including Bolton North-east would have to fall.

Tim Perkins is mounting the Lib Dem quest for success in the constituency.

In Bolton South-east, Dr Brian Iddon will be confident of defending the largest majority of the three Labour-held constituencies, 23,311.

He faces Conservative hopeful Haroon Rashid and Liberal Democrat former councillor Frank Harasiwka in the ballot box battle.

With the deadline for candidates to declare themselves not until 4pm at May 22, there could still be some surprise contenders.