CONGRATULATIONS and a big thank you to the Darcy Lever Gravel Pits Action Group for organising a fantastic May Day Frog Parade.

Lots of fun for old and young alike and lots of learning too — about the great variety of wildlife that exists on our very doorsteps. As well as enjoying the bouncy castle, face painting, and fairground games, our grandchildren got to see, and in some cases held, frogs, newts, millipedes, spiders, leeches, dragon-fly larvae, even a tarantula.

The Darcy Lever gravel pits are a fantastic, yet much under rated, resource for the whole of Bolton and the annual May Day parade is one of the most enjoyable community events the town has to offer.

And all made possible by a dedicated team of wild-life and environmentally concerned volunteers. Our thanks to them all and long may their work continue!

Neil Duffield and Eileen Murphy

Darcy Lever