TOURISM chiefs are planning to see the number of visitors to Lancashire soar next summer as they cash in on the Commonwealth Games.

The event, to be staged in Manchester in July and August, is set to be the biggest sporting event to be held in Britain since the 1966 World Cup -- placing the North West under the eye of some 54 countries and 1.7billion people.

With two events already set to take place in Lancashire, county council bosses are planning how they can exploit the games and help the area's tourist industry recover from the effects of the foot and mouth crisis.

At the heart of the plan is the decision to spend £38,000 on attracting visitors from abroad to use Lancashire as their base for the Games.

A report to Lancashire County Council's cabinet, which meets on Thursday, sets out how the county can capitalise on the games, even though only one borough, Chorley, is directly involved.

It will host the mountain biking and cycling time trials.

The Queen's jubilee baton, which will tour the country before the Games, is set to pass through Lancashire on the eve of the opening ceremony. Other projects in the pipeline include a sporting theme in the council's main destination guide, which is published annually.

The county will also be represented at holiday exhibitions nationwide, while 1,200 cycling clubs have been sent leaflets extolling the virtues of the county in the hope they will explore Lancashire during the games.

The official accommodation company for the Games, Sportsworld, will also be using hotels in Lancashire.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "Each local authority also has the chance to 'adopt a nation' to promote the friendliness of the Games and leave a lasting legacy.

"This could be progressed by involving the community in choosing a nation. Once a link has been established, a tie-in with schools could be made for pupils to study the chosen nation."

The Spirit of Friendship Festival is also being held for 150 days in the run-up to the Games, with areas across the North West using arts, culture, education and sport to celebrate the Games and attract more interest to the event.

The spokesman added: "It is an ideal opportunity to make up ground lost during the foot and mouth crisis"

The cabinet has been advised to set up a working group to look at all options for promoting tourism during the Games before making any definite decisions.