WHEN it comes to addressing the "thorny" issue of where Bolton truly lies . . . council chiefs will be leaving town centre shoppers in no doubt.

The blossoming £1 million new-look Victoria Square is due to get its final touch - a specially designed granite red rose mosaic.

The giant mosaic, whose design dates back to the 15th Century War of the Roses, will be laid in the heart of the town centre as a defiant statement.

Cllr Bob Howarth, council leader, said: "We may have been moved to Greater Manchester for administrative purposes, but we are Lancastrians at heart. And that is the view of most Boltonians.

"There has been confusion about where Bolton is - Lancashire or Greater Manchester. Everyone who lives in Bolton or visits the town will now have no doubt where its roots and heart lie when we proudly display the Lancashire rose for everyone to see."

Mayor of Bolton, Cllr John Monaghan, will uncover the granite rose on August 7, together with red rose banners either side.

New fountains will also be officially switched on by Cllr Howarth amid an afternoon of entertainment.

The fountains replace the Wigglesworth fountains which were on either side of the Cenotaph. The rose mosaic also contains some of the original marble of the old fountains.

Renovations outside the Town Hall have cost £1 million and were funded by the council with about a third of the cost coming from European Regional Development Fund.

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