All smiles at party? Not quite AFTER all the publicity on TV and radio regarding the Bolton Millennium Biggest Birthday Party on Sunday, July 2, my sister and I (both senior citizens) were looking forward to an afternoon of GOOD entertainment. No such luck.

We arrived at the Reebok by coach from a Bolton church to find we were seated on the upper third floor, second row from the roof.

To climb all those steps were difficult with no hand rail to help us. Our seats were uncomfortable and we couldn't relax, being so high up.

When the show started, the amplifiers and microphones were tremendous, it all sounded like one big noise. The only good thing was the schoolchildren singing.

Canon and Ball didn't impress us either. They had the children screaming and shouting as loud as possible. Then when the gospel choir came on, we couldn't tell a word they said. It just sounded like screaming down the microphone. After that, it was just one big noise. We left at 4pm and had to be helped down the steps by staff. Lots of people were outside having left early because of the noise. We all had the same opinion, we hadn't enjoyed it. Most of us had expected it to be like Songs of Praise as shown on TV. We would have enjoyed the afternoon better if we had stayed outside in the sunshine.

Mrs M Ball

Orchard Close

Leigh

Editor's note: Yours is the only letter of complaint I have received concerning the show, but I'm sure the organisers will be disappointed that they failed to impress every member of the packed audience.