A CHORLEY company has been applauded for cleaning up a vast area of contaminated land at the former Royal Ordnance Factory.

BAE Systems Environmental was praised for improving 400 acres of land in what was hailed as an "environmental good news story", in the Environment Agency's new Spotlight report, which criticised the region's performance in general. The clean-up will make the ground ready for a major housing and business project now known as Buckshaw Village and Matrix Park.

Peter Knightingale, a BAE Systems senior project manager, said: "I'm very pleased to say that the work we have undertaken in converting a munitions factory has been highlighted by this report as good practice.

"That has included the demolition of nearly 900 empty buildings built between 1936 and 1940, hauling a million cubic metres of earth contaminated to some degree. Along the way, a full review of environmental contamination was undertaken, working alongside the Environment Agency."