BOLTON Council has declared a climate emergency - becoming the eighth local authority in Greater Manchester to do so.

Labour councillor Martin McMulkin tabled the motion, which commits the council to making its activities 'net-zero carbon' by 2030 and ensuring that all budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030.

Dozens of campaigners sat in the public gallery for the debate and cheered Cllr McMulkin's opening speech.

Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Martyn Cox questioned how the plans would be achieved , suggesting street lights would have to be turned off and events such as the Food and Drink Festival be cancelled due to the diesel generators used.

Leader Cllr David Greenhalgh added: "The date given is key to this council about what that does to us in terms of a commitment for funding and where that money comes from. It requires serious funding."

Any objections to the motion were met with shouts of "shame" from the public gallery.

Supporting the motion, Labour councillor Martin Donaghy said: "I disagree with the issue of funding insofar as that if we were told the Earth would be extinct in two years time, we'd find the money, we would find the resources, we would deal with it."

After the motion debated for more than an hour, it was voted through by council. Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP and four members of Farnworth and Kearsley First voted in favour of the motion, while the Conservatives, Cllr Mark Cunningham (Brexit), Cllr Marie Brady (Horwich and Blackrod First) and Cllr Paul Heslop (Farnworth and Kearsley First ) abstained.

Paris Hayes, who submitted a petition which kickstarted the debate, said: "I would like to congratulate Bolton Council on coming to their decision and would like to thank all councillors who voted for the motion. I think members that abstained from the vote should be ashamed of their actions and perhaps should make their positions on climate action clear immediately."