VOLUNTEERS from across Bolton embarked on a huge clean-up of a local nature reserve after The Bolton News highlighted the problems anti-social behaviour was causing at the popular county park.

And the chairman of the friends group which looks after it praised The Bolton News' War on Litter campaign which is urging people to keep Bolton tidy so people can enjoy a cleaner, greener place to live.

In recent months Seven Acres County Park in Breightmet has been targeted by young vandals, who have been destroying and leaving hanging trees, setting fire and leaving part of the park a no go area as it poses a danger for other users.

The Bolton News: Seven Acres

Following the most recent incident, Friends of Seven Acres embarked on a clean-up mission, cleaning up drug paraphernalia and making the trees safe and filled ten bags with rubbish.

Since The Bolton News highlighted the work of the Friends of Seven Acres and their upset caused by people destroying the park, incidents of vandalism have fallen markedly, but other groups dedicated to keeping Bolton a pleasant place to live have volunteered their services ­— with a huge socially distanced clean-up of the park taking place.

Many of the volunteers came in their bubbles for the epic clean up

Chairman of Friends of Seven Acres, Alun Morris said: "Following the article we have received some great feedback.

"While we have had two fires since, they have been contained and there has been no littering.

"We were contacted by the Litter Pickers of North Bolton who pulled together a team of litter pickers from across Bolton ­—from Horwich, Astley Bridge, Little Lever, Johnson Fold everywhere ­— in order to tackle other grot spots on the site.

"A total of 167 bags of rubbish was collected along with random junk.

"The article has made a positive impact on the area."

Alun said that discarded had a huge impact on wildlife in the area, destroying natural habitats by changing the chemical make up of soil, and posing a risk by animals getting trapped in plastic or in ring cans.

"We made the area where people were causing the damage more open, so it is more visible and they can been seen," he said and added that there had been more engagement with the group from park users following the article which he hoped has had an impact too.

He added: "We are so lucky to have these green spaces in Bolton, where ever you live in Bolton you are a short walk away from a green space.

"Campaigns like this can have an impact, because they are highlighting what is going on

"I did a leaflet about people leaving dog waste or bags full of dog waste and posted it around the park and following that there seemed to be a reduction and, and people were taking their bags home. People do take notice."