Bolton Council has been urged to tidy up a car park it didn't realise it owned. Councillors were told that it was nothing to do with the local authority when they complained about the "appalling" state of it. But it has now been revealed that the car park next to Winter Hey Lane in Horwich town centre does belong to the council's housing department.

Horwich Cllr Barbara Ronson said: "The area is dangerous and unsightly.

"Partly wrecked cars litter the area and a truck-load of bricks has recently been dumped on the site.

"Local residents and shopkeepers are concerned that these may be thrown through the windows. I have asked for the area to be examined and some urgent action taken."

Tory Cllr John Walsh is now calling on Bolton Council to set up a directory of all the property it owns so that the situation does not arise again.

He said at a Bolton Council meeting: "We may find there are other assets which the authority owns which need to be picked up so that all members of the council can ensure that the public purse is protected."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.