A COMMUNITY in the process of being transformed has been given a major clear-up.

Police, Bolton at Home and Bolton Council have been working together to revamp the Campbell Court and Cawdor Court estate in Farnworth.

Work to improve the area follows complaints about drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and litter.

Bolton at Home provided five skips to help improve the appearance of the estate, while council officers educated people about which bins to use for different rubbish and police were on hand to talk about people's crime concerns.

Bolton Council also brought an anti-social behaviour CCTV van to warn people there is a zero tolerance approach to disturbances.

Gemma Purlby, a principal housing officer at Bolton at Home, said: “I am really overwhelmed at how many people have got involved in using the skips. They are saying they have seen massive improvements.

“People are coming out and talking to officers from Bolton at Home and police when they wouldn’t before.

"Some people were scared before evictions took place but now they are speaking to their neighbours and there’s a community spirit.

"Since the police activity it’s been a fresh start. There’s energy about the estate now.”

She said Bolton at Home will be getting an architect to look at options to improve the landscape.

A park on the estate, which residents said was an eyesore and a hotspot for gathering youths and drug dealing, has recently been removed.

People are now calling for improved lighting and bulbs to be replaced Earlier this year Bolton at Home evicted nightmare neighbours Damian Gaskell, aged 37, and Leanne Davies, aged 29, from the estate following a catalogue of complaints about anti-social behaviour.

Action was also taken against Dean Goodwin, aged 24, who was banned from entering the estate after selling drugs from a home where he was not a registered tenant. He was jailed for three years for dealing heroin and crack cocaine in March.

PC Ian Roby, from Bolton South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “I have seen a massive difference across the board at the estate over the past year.

"There has been a decrease in crime and anti-social behaviour and an increase in people’s confidence.

"Residents are coming out and there’s a daily presence from police and Bolton at Home. People are joking saying 'you can’t get away with anything now'.”

Resident Terri Mayoh, aged 28, of Cawdor Court, said she has noticed the difference the work has had on the estate.

She said: “It’s quieter now. There were a few noisy tenants before but it’s a lot quieter than it was 12 months ago.”

A residents’ group for the estate is in the pipeline.