By Janet Hughes BOLTON Evening News boss John Waters is to take the people's case for Bolton becoming a university town to London today.

The BEN managing director will tell politicians in the capital that the citizens of Bolton want the town to have its own university.

And he will present the names of the thousands of people supporting Bolton Institute's campaign at a gala reception in Parliament Street.

The community petition is the last of three drawn up to demonstrate the level of support in the town.

Celebrity supporters include comic Victoria Wood, world cup commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme and TV tycoon Sir John Harvey Jones MBE.

Academics from all over the country have also lined up to back the case for university status in a campaign being run in the education press.

Three local MPs have been pushing David Blunkett's department to approve the institute's bid and Brian Iddon has called on the Government to support Bolton's case.

Before hosting the London reception, Bolton Institute Principal Professor Bob Oxtoby said: "We enjoy very substantial support from all sections of the community. The institute plays a vital role in the life of Bolton.

"This support has been demonstrated by the number of signatures on the petition and by the number of letters which have been sent to the Secretary of State."

Education Secretary David Blunkett is expected to announce his decision over the next few weeks.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.