A BOUNCER who became a nightclub supremo has returned to Blackburn with a multi-million pound to save the town's best-known venue.

Peter Clarke worked his way up from doorman to lead the Heaven and Hell chain, which owns clubs across the north of England.

Now he has bought Utopia nightclub, above Lord Square, for an undisclosed amount and has promised a £1million revamp, creating 50 full and part-time jobs.

The club was put up for sale earlier this year after its previous owners, Midlands-based Springwood Leisure, went into receivership. It has been closed for several weeks.

Last month, receivers Ernst and Young sold a clutch of Springwood's nightclubs back to the management.

But Utopia wasn't among them, leaving the way open for Mr Clarke, 44, to close the deal.

He used to work at Golden Palms, St Peter Street, which went on to become a bingo hall before becoming Jumpin' Jaks two years ago.

Andy Appleton, 32, will return to the club as manager.

He started out as a DJ when the venue was Peppermint Place, before becoming the manager of Utopia when it was still run by former owners First Leisure.

Mr Clarke, of Belthorn, said: "I am so excited - I feel like a kid at Christmas.

"When I was on the door at Golden Palms 25 years ago, the club on the Utopia site was always the biggest and the best in the town - and it will be again.

"Blackburn is my and the new club manager's home town and so this will be Heaven and Hell's flagship venue, attracting people from the whole of the North West."

Plans for the new site include the creation of three separate rooms: Heaven, Hell and Purgatory. Each will have its own distinct theme and type of music.

Mr Clarke, who once managed the famous Palace Nightclub in Blackpool, hopes the venue will be ready for early August.

His firm, Entrepreneurial Leisure Ltd, was started in 1998 after he worked his way up the club management ladder.

Since then he has opened Heaven and Hell clubs in Huddersfield, Hull, Barnsley, Blackpool, Stockport and Leeds.

Each club runs as its own limited company, with Entrepreneurial Leisure acting as a parent company.

The plans were backed by Blackburn's regeneration chief, Coun Andy Kay, today.

He said: "We want a vibrant night-time economy in Blackburn, but with a variety of venues.

"We don't want a booze culture to prevail, we want quality clubbing venues and I have been told that this is what this will be, which is good news."

Mr Appleton said: "Ever since I started work with Peter we have always been looking to get back into Blackburn and used to say wouldn't it be great to get Utopia.

"We couldn't believe it when the opportunity arose to do exactly that.

"This will be the biggest Heaven and Hell in the country, with all the best bits from the six other clubs.

"All my family live in Blackburn so it is great to be doing something so spectacular in my home town."