COMPLAINTS have been made about the state of a local park after a family stumbled upon discarded pizza boxes, cans and a condom.

Jeanette Westby recently went out walking in Central Park, Westhoughton, with her daughter Victoria, son Noel and three-year-old grandson Dexter.

But what should have been a pleasant family outing left Mrs Westby disgusted when they saw the state of the children’s play area and the items left on the ground.

The 56-year-old said: “It really is a disgrace. We have been in places like Queens Park, which is absolutely beautiful, it’s all kept nice and tidy.

“Central Park is a mess. The rubbish is literally everywhere and they still haven’t cleared up after Storm Doris the other week.”

Her daughter Victoria, aged 35, took pictures of what was littering the playground — one shows the condom lying by a pizza box and can, while the other shows rubbish lining the fence.

Mrs Westby, who lives in Deane, grew up in Westhoughton, and used to go to the park regularly when she was little.

She said the park has gone “downhill” since she was a child and believes it’s partly a result of the cutbacks made by Bolton Council.

She said: “I used to get taken to the park all the time when I was little. It used to be so nice but it has all changed.

“It’s a mess now. Walking in Central Park is a big disappointment.

“Since it went under the control of Bolton Council, it’s gone downhill.

“When I used to go there when I was a kid they had a park keeper but they don’t have that anymore because of the cutbacks. It’s just grim.”

According to Mrs Westby, teenagers have been spotted congregating at the park and she believes that is where some of the mess comes from. She said: “There is a lot more rubbish around there now than there used to be so I think it’s a matter of educating people.

“When I was younger I would put rubbish in my pockets because I was brought up like that.

“People don’t seem to have any pride anymore in what our place looks like.”

A Bolton Council spokesman said: “We clean and maintain all the parks in Bolton regularly and welcome use by all sections of the community.

“However, dropping litter is irresponsible and anti-social and we would ask those who use the parks to be responsible and use the bins provided.”