THE cream of local sporting talent are preparing for action as the Commonwealth Games gets underway on Sunday.

Nine athletes from Bolton and the surrounding areas hit the medal trail over the next 12 days in Delhi.

On the track Tom Lancashire will compete in the 1500m and Stuart Stokes will take part in the 3000m steeplechase.

Lancashire is tipped to reach the final when he will come against the strong Kenyan contingent. The 25- year-old from Bromley Cross has had the best season of his career, setting a new personal best to confirm his ranking as number one in Great Britain.

Lancashire will do his pre- Games training in Doha before flying into Delhi on October 9. He will compete in the heats on October 11 with the final the following day.

Stokes’s selection for the England team marks a remarkable return to the sport he retired from two years ago.

The 33-year-old became disillusioned when he failed to gain selection for the Olympic Games in Beijing, but he returned to competition this season and immediately shot to number two in the British rankings, gaining the Commonwealth Games qualifying time with ease.

Bolton wrestler Craig Pilling represents Wales by virtue of his mother being born in Cardiff. The 23-yearold will compete in the 55kg section which starts on October 10.

Pilling’s Bolton Olympic Wrestling club-mate, Mark Cocker, has been picked for England in the freestyle and greco roman events, and is in action on Thursday.

Haroon Khan will box for Pakistan after being overlooked by his own country.

The 19-year-old Bury ABC fighter will hope to emulate his older brother Amir’s success after he won silver at the Olympics in Athens in 2004.

Cyclist Simon Yates has been included in the England men’s track team. The Bury teenager will compete in the madison and team pursuit in India following his gold medal success at the World Junior Track championships in Italy.

Yates, a member of Bury Clarion Club, will fly the flag for the area after Bolton’s Olympic gold and silver medalist Jason Kenny was not named in the squad to allow others the chance to shine.

Emma Saunders, who lives in Heaton, will compete in the swimming. The 16-year-old Bolton School pupil won a haul of four medals at the European Junior Swimming Championships, including one gold.

Bolton-born badminton star Jenny Wallwork, aged 23, is aiming to strike gold with Nathan Robertson, an Olympic silver medalist, in the mixed doubles and Gabby White in the ladies doubles.

Andy Bull has hopes of medal glory with England’s hockey team.

The former Tottington High School pupil helped his country win silver in the Champions Trophy in Germany.

And the 18-year-old Bury defender will be aiming to go one better this time after a whirlwind four months which have seen him rise from the national under-18s squad to the senior team.