A YEAR ago today - March 3 2020 - Bolton's department for public health received a phone call it was most likely expecting and dreading in equal measure.

The call was confirming that a young man from Bolton had tested positive for a new disease - the coronavirus - which had spread first from China and then to Europe with the first major outbreak in Italy.

Two days earlier, on March 1, a Bury resident, who had just returned from the country, had tested positive for Covid-19 and a makeshift tracing operation had been set in motion.

Back in Bolton, a high level meeting was called to brief town hall chiefs, councillors and health officials on the situation.

And at The Bolton News, journalists were on high alert for new of the first case in the town.

At around 4.30pm a tip-off came into the newsdesk that the town had confirmed its first case and we started to make calls to verify the information.

Public Health England confirmed the case but no further details could be given.

Nationally, officials insisted the Bolton case was not linked to those in nearby Bury - but sources locally told us it was.

The Bolton News:

Indeed, we learned that the 22-year-old had even possibly been on the same flight home as the Bury case.

Two new cases were also confirmed in Bury the same day — as the total number of known cases in the UK rose to just 51.

The numbers seem so small now but were alarming at the time.

The Bolton patient was rushed to a specialist NHS infection centre - with the location closely guarded by health chiefs.

Three separate sources told The Bolton News that the Bolton case was linked to the first Bury case.

One told us: “Public Health don’t want to cause panic and so understandably don’t want to say where they are being treated.

“But we do know that the Bolton case is a young man in his 20s and is linked to the first Bury case.”

Health chiefs said Bolton was well prepared for an outbreak of this kind and had robust plans in place.

Leader of Bolton Council Cllr David Greenhalgh said that evening: “I understand this may be a worrying time for Bolton residents but please be assured we are monitoring the situation closely and have detailed plans in place."

The Bolton News:

In a joint statement, Director of Public Health for Bury Council, Lesley Jones and Director of Public Health for Bolton Council, Dr Helen Lowey said: “We would like to send our best wishes to those affected as they continue their recovery.

“Bolton and Bury have robust infection control arrangements in place and strong partnership arrangements across the health and care system.

“The councils are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and all our health and care partners to prevent further spread of the virus.

“In the meantime, it is important to follow good hygiene practices and if you show symptoms please ring NHS 111 rather than ring your GP or go to a hospital.

“We will continue to work with Public Health England to share timely and relevant information with the public and our partners.”

Dr Will Welfare, from Public Health England North West, said: “Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with three cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Greater Manchester.

“Two of the cases are residents of Bury. As a result of contact tracing we know the new Bury cases announced today are known contacts of the previously confirmed case from Bury.

"The Bolton resident became infected whilst in Italy."

Just a day later we began to get reports of supermarkets in Bolton selling out of anti-bacterial soap and sanitisers.

Shelves selling pump action liquid soap are all but empty, with one shopper saying they were told it was because of the virus.

The Bolton News:

But elsewhere life carried on as normal. Top Gear host Paddy McGuinness announced his co-stars would be filming in Bolton the next day.

And it would be another three weeks before the UK went into full lockdown with Boris Johnson addressing the nation on March 23.