BOLTON has firmly established itself as a thriving market town.

And now everyone is getting a piece of the action.

Town centres in both Bolton and Farnworth were buzzing with the sound of market traders as school pupils, local people and colleges set out their wares to celebrate the first national Love Your Local Mark fortnight campaign.

In Bolton town centre’s Victoria Square, the pop-up market was launched by Apprentice semi-finalist and market trader Adam Corbally, and celebrity chef Simon Rimmer was in town to launch the celebrations.

Beauty treatments, hand-crafted cards and potted plants were just some of the goods on sale when budding entrepreneurs traded in Bolton’s pop-up market.

Among them were pupils at St James’s High School, in Farnworth, when young people sold a selection of occasion goods such as handmade cards.

Others who took part in the pop-up event included new business All You Knead artisan bread bakers and students from Bolton College who sold plants, and offered beauty treatments, while school pupils sold handmade cards.

In Farnworth, youngsters from Little Lever School sold homemade jewellery and cakes, while others sold confectionery and sweets, cakes, quiches and cupcakes.

A pop-up market will also be held in Westhoughton Market on July 7.

The pop-up markets are being held as part of the Love Your Local Market fortnight-long campaign in the town.

Bolton Council’s cabinet member for community Services, Cllr Akhtar Zaman, pictured, said: “Markets play a key role in the vitality of the town centre and that’s why we’re investing £4.5 million in Bolton Market.”

Bolton Market was crowned Britain’s Best Food Market in the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2011.