PROUD traders in Bury's Bolton Street certainly aren't slow coaches when it comes to highlighting the town's premier tourist attraction.

For a gable end is now adorned with a colourful and eye-catching mural of a steam train to underline the fact Bolton Street is the headquarters of the East Lancs Railway.

The board welcomes visitors to the home of the popular ELR which is located just yards away.

The initiative is the latest in a series of promotions undertaken by the thriving Bolton Street Business Club to boost trade and enhance the area.

And thanks to the generosity and sponsorship of various companies as well as Bury Council, the attractive mural is set to become a familiar feature of the street.

Business Club chairwoman and local boutique owner, Mrs Yvonne Wright said: "This is going to become a real landmark and visitors will know where the station is."

When the club came up with the idea of the mural, they wrote off to various parties asking for sponsorship to turn the initiative into a reality.

Bury-based Harcros Timber supplied the wood frame while B & Q donated the paint. David Norris of the Bury Arts and Crafts Centre was the artist while the lettering was provided by G.H. and B. Nuttall.

The mural was fixed on to the gable end by staff from Bury Competitive Services.

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