A SUCCESSFUL local businessman wants Bolton to wake-up to the opportunities presented by the town's involvement in the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.

"I want to create enthusiasm," says Rod Sellers of Chorley New Road, Lostock.

Mr Sellers, aged 53, a former executive deputy chairman of British Vita plc, is chairman of the Commonwealth Economic Benefits Initiative.

This is run by a group of high-powered regional business people seeking to boost economic development by using the Games to raise the international image of North-west industry and commerce.

Success so far has included encouraging Malaysian Airlines to run a service three times a week between Manchester and Kuala Lumpur, the city which staged the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Manchester 2002 and Marketing Manchester will have a presence at this year's Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Mr Sellers believes progress is being made in these efforts to "sell" the region.

"More and more we are getting people to recognise the North-west in its own right," he said.

To this end there will be trade missions this year to India (October), South Africa (October) and Malaysia and Singapore (November).

There will also be export roadshows in the North-west during June.

It has been estimated that the Commonwealth Games, to be held from Thursday, July 25 to Sunday, August 4, 2002, will attract a million visitors to the region and one billion television viewers.

Competitors, back-up teams and spectators will flood into Manchester and some surrounding towns, providing potential profits for all sorts of local businesses, particularly hotels, restaurants, taxi firms and tourist attractions.

Horwich and Rivington will have a piece of the action.

The badminton competition -- team and individual -- will be held at the £14.8 million Bolton Arena currently taking shape near the Reebok Stadium at Middlebrook.

And some of the world's top cyclists will take part in mountain bike, road and time trial competitions around Rivington between Friday, July 26 and Sunday, August 4.

Mr Sellers knows that local organisations such as Bolton Council, Bolton Institute and Bolton and Bury Chamber are "up to speed" with the Commonwealth Games opportunities.

But he believes many business people in the town have not "woken up yet".

He added: "Towns like Bolton need to think very carefully about the potential.

"I would like to see Bolton really taking a strong interest."

Mr Sellers, who is currently Deputy President of the Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants, runs Thorncliffe Corporate Services Ltd in Bolton and is a director of SSL International, Knutsford, Ultraframe in Clitheroe and Pets At Home, Handforth, near Manchester Airport.

He can be contacted at the Commonwealth Economic Benefits Initiative through project director Marilyn Steane on 0161 877 3000. The Bolton Arena -- a tennis and leisure centre -- is due to open at Middlebrook later this year.

The 5,000-seater arena and pay-as-you-play tennis centre is expected eventually to host major tennis tournaments such as the Davis Cup.

It will also be the North-west regional headquarters of the Lawn Tennis Association.

There will be eight indoor and six outdoor courts and outside there will be a 400-metre running track to be used by Horwich RMI Harriers, a full-size football pitch and four multi-use courts