CAMPAIGNERS for miniature heritage museums to be created at Prestwich Metrolink station have held talks with transport bosses.

As earlier reported in the Bury Times, Prestwich businessman Mr Harry Johnson had joined forces with the Prestwich Heritage Society to try and turn run-down ticket booths into a display for items of local heritage.

However, owners of the booths, GMPTE, announced plans to demolish the disused buildings as part of a £174,000 refurbishment of Prestwich and Heaton Park stations.

Undeterred, Mr Johnson enrolled the help of local MP Ivan Lewis who arranged this week's meeting with the director general of GMPTE, Mr Chris Mulligan, and his deputy, Mr Geoff Inskip.

Mr Lewis said: "The meeting was held in a very positive manner and a number of possibilities for a heritage site at Prestwich station were discussed. The GMPTE have agreed to give serious consideration to the ideas and work with members of the society to find a mutually suitable outcome." Chairman of the society, Mr Craig Brisbane, said: "Although we had no real hope of stopping them knocking down the ticket booths, we have discussed alternative ways of displaying the artefacts."

Mr Brisbane said that the society would be allocated "a dedicated space" where the booths once stood to create some sort of feature to welcome people into Prestwich.

And there was a possibility that a number of recesses along the platforms, that were due to be bricked up, could be converted into display cabinets, lined and fronted with Victorian-style grilles.

The plans will be backed by up to £50,000 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund through its new fast-track system.