BURY business leaders want the Bank of England to reduce interest rates at the "earlier opportunity".

The comments come after the decision to leave interest rates at 5.25 per cent.

But Andrew Ratcliff, chief executive of Bolton and Bury Chamber, said: "Keeping rates on hold may ease inflationary pressures, but this will be of little comfort to parts of the manufacturing sector, which is suffering its worst slump in years and is at the sharp end of this decision.

"The long term health of manufacturing is vital to Britain's economic future and while the Bank is right to keep a lid on inflation, it must seek to cut interest rates again at the earliest possible opportunity."