THE jury in a trial involving five men who allegedly ran a multi-million pound Bolton drugs ring were played enhanced tape recordings of the gang's "board meetings".

Audio expert Dr Peter French used the latest technology to improve the quality of the recordings made by the police.

The court was told that during June and July 1999, officers bugged Debbie's Diner on the outskirts of the town centre which the gang members used as their "headquarters".

The jury at Liverpool Crown Court was played several extracts of the police's taped recordings and the enhanced copies made by Dr French.

They were given a manuscript put together by the prosecution who allege the gang members were discussing the purchase, supply and distribution of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

John Barber, aged 35, of Breightmet, Alan Bentley, aged 34, of Astley Bridge, Lee Bonney, aged 34, of Great Lever, Carl Entwistle, aged 21, of Brownlow Fold and Raymond Hargreaves, aged 44, of Callands, Warrington, are accused of conspiring to supply Class A drugs between August 3, 1998 and November 17, 1999.

The court was told earlier this week that the gang were caught after police hid a microphone at the diner and videoed their movements.

The jury heard the man at the heart of the organisation Billy Webb, aged 41, of Morrison Street, Great Lever, had died since his arrest.

The prosecution allege that Barber, Bentley and Bonney were "directors" who were very close to him in importance and met him regularly in the diner.

It was alleged that Hargreaves was the supplier of the drugs while Entwistle was involved in the wholesale distribution further down the chain.

The trial at Liverpool Crown Court is expected to last 16 weeks.