Yobs have gone on the rampage in a village, destroying flower beds.

They damaged the pots outside the former  Little Lever library and pulled out the plants to the anger of residents.

This is the latest in a spate of anti-social behaviour in the village.

 

The Bolton News: What was left of the flowers.What was left of the flowers.

Cllr Andrea Taylor-Burke said: “We have been having issues with the some of the youths in Little Lever pulling up the flowers from the flower beds in the centre and throwing them at each other. We have a minority of youths who engage in ASB and cause upset in our area.

“I am aware there is very little for them to do around here and I have been working on getting funding to engage with them and to get them extra activities and things for them to do.

“However, this can prove difficult when the minority are destroying things, it doesn't give us much hope that anything we do get won't be destroyed or ruined for others.”

Members of the public had already tried to pick up some plants and put them back in the planters in a bid to save them but unfortunately, they could not be saved and new ones will need planting.

Karen Cullen said: “It's every day I walk down to the village I'm dodging dirt, there’s no respect.

“I love flowers so it’s very annoying and such a shame trying to make the village nice then certain people ruin it.”

The damage was reported on Wednesday to Cllr Burke.

She said: “It was just outside the old library building but it's happening on Coronation Square in the centre most weeks. There was mud and leaves all over the paths that I swept up.

“I also tried to replant the plants, but most were beyond saving unfortunately.

“It's an ongoing issue here and around Bolton that ASB cases aren't even attended by the police.

“So, most of my constituents don't bother reporting which is not the right attitude I know but there is only so many times things can be ignored before people lose hope in the system.”

The outrage has led to calls for more community projects looking at giving the youth of the town something to do.

Cllr Burke said: “The majority of our youths are great and want to help in the community and I have been working with the schools on ways this can be done.

“They hate that all youths are labelled the same when really, it's only a handful.

“I have also been working with MMA fighter Saul Rogers and we are in the process of gaining finding so Saul can work with them.