Tower FM is being shut down after broadcasting local radio to Bury and Bolton for 21 years

The local radio station for Bolton and Bury is set to be re-branded as the nationwide Greatest Hits Radio from September

Tower FM, which has broadcast local radio to Bolton and Bury since 1999, is to be shut down.

Bauer Media, which owns the station, has announced that 49 of its stations will be merged into nationwide station Greatest Hits Radio from early September.

Some local news and travel information will be broadcast on the new station but details of the areas covered have not yet emerged.

Bauer said it was too early to confirm exactly how Tower FM would be impacted by job losses, a spokesman confirmed some roles would be placed ‘at risk’ as part of a redundancy consultation process beginning today. In addition, freelance contracts at the station will be reviewed.

With the re-branding, the Hits Radio Network is set to become the largest commercial radio network in the UK.

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Bolton-born charity CEO and former Tower FM presenter Saeed Atcha shared his disappointment at the news on Twitter.

He said: "It's sad to see these household names disappear. Having broadcast on 9 of these radio stations including the one I grew up listening to (Tower FM), I know how important local radio is.

"My thoughts are with my friends who may lose their jobs."

Graham Bryce, group managing director for the Hits Radio Network brand said: “We are committed to ensuring the future of radio in local markets and serving the needs of our listeners and advertisers. However, our top priority right now will be to support those affected through this period.”

Dee Ford CBE, group managing director for radio at Bauer Radio, said: “Audiences love and trust radio. Expanding the Hits Radio Brand Network will ensure listeners to these acquired stations benefit from multi-platform digital distribution meaning they can continue to broadcast in an increasingly competitive, digital and voice-activated world.

"This ensures the provision of local news and information, traffic and travel as well as access for advertisers to highly valued audiences.”

Tower FM is based in Wigan, along with other Bauer-owned stations Wish FM, which serves Wigan and St Helens, and Warrington, Runcorn and Windes' Wire FM. All three stations will be closed down as part of the re-branding.

Of the 56 stations Bauer took over from the Wireless group last year, 49 will be re-branded. Four Pulse 1 in Bradford, Signal 1 in Stoke, The Wave 96.4 in Swansea and Fire Radio in Bournemouth will keep their names but become part of the Hits Radio network.

Each will have a local breakfast show and The Wave will also have its own daytime and drivetime programmes.

The remaining three – Lincs FM in Lincoln, Pirate FM in Cornwall and Sam FM in Bristol – will remain as ‘stand-alone’ stations.