FOUR sporting venues in Bolton have been lined up to host visiting Olympic teams for training camps ahead of the 2012 Games in London.
Organisers yesterday issued a list of 600 facilities - a record number - they deem appropriate, of which Wanderers' Reebok Stadium (football), Bolton Arena (athletics, badminton, boxing, fencing and table tennis), Bolton Lads and Girls Club (boxing) and Horwich Leisure Centre (mountain biking) were among them.
Bury's Gigg Lane (football) and Leigh Sports Village (athletics, badminton, basketball, football, handball, table tennis, indoor volleyball) were also on the list, which will be provided to Olympic teams at the Beijing Games this summer.
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London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said: "We said that we wanted the London Games to be for athletes, and the facilities listed in this guide will really help overseas athletes prepare well.
"It also provides a great opportunity for towns throughout the UK to get involved in our plans. The process we have been through shows a great spread of high-quality facilities throughout the UK that can be used by elite level athletes."
Around 35 per cent of the facilities are in London and the South-east, with four per cent in Scotland, four per cent in Northern Ireland and five per cent in Wales. Outside London and the South-east, the North-west of England is the biggest provider, with 73 venues chosen.
London organisers have promised visiting Olympic teams a credit' of up to £25,000 to encourage teams to base themselves in the UK. The money will come from LOCOG's budget.
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