BOLTON’S bid for city status is officially underway.

A document making the town’s case for city status was yesterday sent off to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Town hall chiefs, business leaders and school children from Devonshire Primary School were at Bolton Town Hall to see the Mayor of Bolton Cllr Noel Spencer hand over the borough’s bid to local courier firm Parcels2Go.

The bid is being sent to the office of the Deputy Prime Minister who will consult with the Cabinet Office before deciding on which of the bidders will be granted the honour.

Her Majesty the Queen will grant city status to one town next year as part of the celebrations around her Diamond Jubliee.

While holding city status brings no extra constitutional benefits other than the right to call itself a city, the increased profile brings its own economic boost, such as fresh business investment and added confidence in a place’s ability to host major sporting and cultural events.

Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: “A lot of hard work has gone into this bid. We came very close last time and I am hoping that a final push, with the support from everyone in Bolton, will be enough this time.”

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi said she would be writing in support of the bid. She said: “Bolton has everything that a good city has — a wonderful Town Hall, great parks, an excellent theatre and brilliant colleges and a university.”

Bolton faces competition from Stockport and St Austell in Cornwall.

The town missed out on bids in 1992 to mark the Queen’s 40th year as monarch, in 2000 for the Millennium and in 2002 for the Q u e e n ’ s G o l d e n Jubilee.

à Rival city status bid town Blackpool last night pulled out of the race after its new Labour administration said it would not bring any benefit to the seaside resort.