THEY’RE back! The successful Bolton and Bury Business Awards are launched today for the fifth year.

The awards are one of the most prestigious events on the business calendar and this year the grand ceremony will be held at the De Vere Whites Hotel, at the Reebok Stadium, Horwich on Thursday, June 10.

Each year the awards have grown and now attract an audience of 600 guests at the glittering ceremony.

There are 10 categories: Business of the Year; Business Person of the Year, SME Business of the year; Start Up Business, Customer Excellence, Family Business, Community Award; Schools Enterprise Award; Design, Technology and Innovation and Young Entrepreneur.

Once again our main sponsor is Bolton Council through its Business Bolton arm, joined by CLB Coopers accountants, KBL solicitors, Clough & Willis solicitors, O2, Wilds Accountants, and this year we welcome a new sponsor, Bolton School.

The awards attract a high calibre of entries all categories and winners receive a beautiful trophy in front of the elite of Bolton and Bury business entrepreneurs.

The awards are now open. It is simple to enter, log on to: boltonandburybusinessawards.co.uk/ and choose your category. Fill in the application form and then simply press a button to submit your entry. The site will be live from tomorrow. Closing date for entries is April 16.

This year the host for the evening will be BBC presenter and weather woman Diane Oxbury.

SPONSORS: Back from left Jim Gray of Clough and Willis, Andy Walker of Business Bolton, Ken Nash of Wilds and John Newbould of Bolton School. Centre: Mark Worsley of CLB Coopers and Simon Marsden of Bolton School. Front: Shefali Talukdar managing partner of Clough and Willis managing partner, Gill Hart and Debbie Roberts, both from KBL