With a smile on his face, a kind-hearted man walked into Bury's tourist information centre to open his unique project to the public after a short delay
Trevor Davies, 76, from Walshaw, created the £6,000 self-funded project that offers stunning views from the top of Peel Tower to visitors of the Moss Street centre.
The idea was devised after he offered to replace the flagpole on top of the tower.
He then thought up an innovative way of showcasing the views from the tower.
Semi-retired businessman Trevor wanted to showcase Bury's beauty by installing two cameras, a zoom camera and a 360 degree model at the top of the iconic Holcombe Hill building.
He forked out thousands of his own money to "give back to Bury" as the town has always been good to him.
Trevor also hoped that by installing a display and screen in the information office, more people would visit the town centre.
Last week, the cameras were fitted but they were temporarily turned off less than 24 hours after it opened due to a planning hitch.
The attraction was closed off after it came to light no consent was given to change the fabric of Peel Tower, which is a listed building.
But permission has now been granted and the beautiful views above the borough were made available to the public again yesterday, Tuesday.
Trevor said: “We had some upset after six months of planning and working, we put up the cameras and the flagpole, installed the TV unit and monitor and then just before connecting it, the council told us no.
“I had to take the cameras back down because I didn’t want anyone to get into trouble, 24 hours later, the council decided to grant us the permission so then we put them all back up again.
"It has been stressful and quite a task but we're here now, I have a bit more paperwork but it is finally open so you can see the views from live in here.”
Cath Ashton from the tourist information centre said: “It’s amazing for people who aren’t able to climb Peel Tower to be able to witness those views.
“We have already had someone come in and tell us how excited they are for this because they use to love going up but can’t anymore now they have gotten older."
Now able to turn the footage back on, Trevor cracked a smile and a joke as he pointed out the different areas you can see from the camera.
He added: “And there you can see Ramsbottom, and if you don’t know where that is… it's about 3ft from its head.
He laughed, adding: “It is great for people to come in and see but I would definitely encourage people to still go up there in person if they can and see the history.
“For example, there is a huge Second World War bomb crater next to the tower, it only just missed it!”
Speaking about the delay in showing the live footage, Cllr Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment at the council, said last week: “There has been a brief pause while we sort out the issue of listed building consent, but the cameras will be back as soon as possible so everyone can enjoy the tremendous views of the area around Peel Tower.
“Peel Tower is a truly iconic part of our landscape, and we welcome any initiative – such as Trevor’s – that enables more people to appreciate the beauty of Bury from its highest point.
“We’ve already seen how popular it has been with the public, and we are keen for that to continue.
"I'd like to put on record my thanks to Trevor Davies for this fantastic initiative which will let millions of people worldwide enjoy the view from Peel Tower."
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