THE battle to portray the wartime exploits of Bolton Wanderers on the big screen could end in failure because of a lack of British financial backing.

Bolt-On Films have already been promised financial support from America and Spain and there are talks underway to secure theatrical, video and possible TV rights.

Director Tom Clegg - who directed Sharpe - is poised to shoot the film with a cast including ex-Eastenders star Sean McGuire as a young Nat Lofthouse, former choirboy Aled Jones and Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley.

But the project has run into a brick wall because no one is prepared to provide major investment in Britain.

And that's despite an appeal from producer Tim Purcell for sponsorship from Bolton firms.

Unless the film can raise the £500,000 needed within the next month, it is unlikely that shooting can take place before Burnden Park is demolished and the film may be shot entirely outside the Bolton area.

And there is also a risk that the project could collapse completely.

Mr Purcell said: "It's ironic that the Americans are prepared to support this film and recognise its potential but Bolton firms are not prepared to invest.

"Everyone thinks it's a great story but it's soul destroying to spend so much time on pre-production with nothing to show for it. It needs the support of big investors."

Bolton Council has already refused to give financial support because the film gives "the wrong image." Councillors turned down an application for a tourism grant of £10,000 because they are trying to get rid of the town's cloth cap and clogs image.

In a scheme promoted by the film-makers, individuals or groups were invited to acquire £1,000 shares in the film and apart from being able to benefit from profits it would entitle the investors to appear in the film in one or more scenes shot in Bolton.

The backer would also be invited to the film's world premiere when it opens at the new sports village development in Horwich.

Companies are invited to invest larger amounts and firms which were around during the 1939 to 1946 period would be entitled to have period adverts at Burnden Park which will appear in the film.

But response to the call for investment was very poor.

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