PLANS to move the junior football season in Bolton from winter to summer has sparked concerns within local cricket that it could have a detrimental effect on the number of juniors playing their sport.

The Bolton, Bury and District Football League are set to switch from the traditional winter season to March to October with a six-week break for the school summer holidays.

The revolutionary change, which is due to begin next year, is seen by some involved in local cricket as potentially damaging to their and other sports.

The Bolton Cricket League (BCL) have passed on their observations to the Lancashire Cricket Board and it will be discussed by the region's cricket organisers at the next meeting of the LCB's recreational cricket sub-committee a week on Monday.

The BCL feel the issue presents a wider problem for cricket than in Bolton alone because the BBDFL covers a large area which also includes Bury and parts of Rochdale, Salford and Wigan.

The summer football proposals are heading for landslide backing in a vote of the BBDFL's 118 clubs.

Out of 60 votes cast by Wednesday, 59 were in favour and the league's management committee also voted 100 per cent in favour.

The final step will be to put the proposal to the Football Association for approval. If it is approved, which is expected, junior football in Bolton will take place in summer from 2017.

Junior football will then run simultaneously with junior cricket, and with many youngsters traditionally playing both sports there are worries in cricket circles that many will choose to play football and participation in cricket will suffer.

The football league's officials say they are willing to work with their cricket counterparts by letting them tap in to their huge database of around 25,000 people – club officials, coaches, players and parents – to help promote junior cricket in the town.

The BBDFL is one of the biggest and fastest growing sporting leagues in the country with 620 teams and 8,500 players, age groups from under-7s to u21s and a thriving indoor futsal league.

Their intention to move seasons from winter to summer has been sparked by the frustration of having a large number of games repeatedly postponed because of wintry conditions and also so junior football can take place on better pitches and in better weather to help develop youngsters' skills and ability.