RESIDENTS in a Great Lever estate that used to be considered “one of the worst areas in Bolton” are asking for decommissioned CCTV cameras to be replaced.

The cameras, owned by Bolton at Home, were removed after the social housing association consulted with its tenants in the Mancroft Avenue area in Great Lever.

But now more than 100 residents of private properties on the estate have signed a petition, which has been handed in to Bolton Council, asking for the cameras to be replaced.

Mancroft Avenue resident Shahid Ahmed, aged 60, has lived on the estate for 23 years and recalls how bad the area used to be for residents.

He said: “It was very bad here — taxi drivers would refuse to come to the street.

"There was a lot of crime and anti-social behaviour and people were very scared all the time.

“The cameras were put in about ten years ago and they helped a lot — they made people feel a lot safer and were a big help for local residents.”

Mr Ahmed said he would like to see the cameras re-instated in Mancroft Avenue, adding: “Things have improved a lot, but we still have many problems in the area, with kids coming from other areas and breaking into cars .

“It would make people feel a lot better if the cameras were there because then at least we would know we could find who has done these things.”

The residents are being backed in their campaign by Cllr Mudasir Dean, who is standing for election for the Conservative party in the Bolton South East constituency, which includes Great Lever.

He said: “The residents are really concerned about the removal of the cameras.

“In the 1980s and 90s the estate was one of the worst estates in the whole of Bolton but when the cameras were fitted they really helped to improve things.

“I am asking Bolton Council to work with Bolton at Home to find some alternative funding arrangements so that the cameras can be replaced.”

A spokesman for Bolton at Home said: "Incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour have reduced year-on-year and there’s not the same need for this CCTV service.

"The positive change in our neighbourhood is thanks to customers and community groups who have worked with us and our partners to tackle problems and create safer, thriving places to live.

"So, when changes to housing benefit rules meant that we could no longer attach the same service charge arrangement to households for this CCTV, we asked all our tenants whether they wanted to pay to continue receiving the service.

"Nearly 90 per cent of respondents said no."