THE champagne flowed at Eatock Lodge, Westhoughton, to mark the completion of a two-year environmental improvement scheme.

Bolton Wildlife Project invited its sponsors and partners to see the work which has been carried out by local residents and volunteers to turn the former colliery tip into a wildlife haven.

This year the project was given a huge boost with a £5,000 donation from Hanson plc which enabled the work to be completed ahead of schedule.

This year alone more than 3,000 trees have been planted and interpretative boards have been sited at the entrances to park, linking historical and ecological themes.

Survey work has revealed Eatock to have the largest known breeding population of frogs and toads in Greater Manchester and the improvements should greatly enhance the chances of these amphibians breeding successfully in the area.

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