ONE of Bolton's most famous landmarks could be transformed from a derelict church into showpiece £3 million nerve centre which answers the prayers of local groups thanks to the dream of one man.

Manchester man Andrew Mullholland used to admire the Holy Trinity church every day as he left the railway station on his way to work in Bolton town centre.

Now his dream of turning Grade 11 listed building which closed down in 1992, into a home for Bolton voluntary groups may become reality.

A feasibility study has backed the idea and yesterday a campaign was launched to raise the £3 million needed to pay for the conversion.

And even though the historic church is not expected to re-open until April 2002 at the absolute earliest, there is a waiting list of organisations wanting to move in.

Community leaders praised Mr Mullholland for his vision for the church which was originally destined to become offices after closing its doors to churchgoers after 167 years.

The offices never got off the ground and the church, which has been completely stripped inside, is officially classed as at risk because it is deteriorating fast. Mr Mullholland, a health promotions specialist for homosexual men, explained how he was looking for premises for a gay support group when the idea first struck him to use the church he had long admired.

"I came out the station and saw the church standing empty and, in the words of Martin Luther King, I had a dream," he told the launch yesterday.

"At the time our organisation embryonic and would have been lost in such a large church but I could see the benefits of a multi agency approach."

The Home project for Gay man won a £5000 grant for a feasibility study which backed the idea and Bolton Council for Voluntary Services then took over the project on behalf of all groups in the town.

Now nine voluntary groups have joined forces to promote the Trinity Project and architects have drawn up detailed plans which will transform the church into modern offices with shared facilities such as training and counselling rooms.

MPs Brian Iddon and David Crausby are supporting the bid and Cllr Frank White, the man in charge of promoting social inclusion in Bolton, said voluntary groups in Bolton deserve a base because they do so much good work.

He warned that the council do not have any money to pay for the conversion but said he backed the deal because it would provide community groups and the public with a focal point.Voluntary groups at the launch told how the project will solve traditional problems associated with finding suitable, affordable premises and duplication of resources and facilities.