Goal posts have been brought back to a “really well used” park after a 12-year absence.

The posts will now be installed on Bank Top Park, Kearsley, with money used from a £65,000 improvement fund.

Cllr Melanie Livesey, of Kearsley, says that this one of several planned improvements she hopes to make to parks in the area.

She said: “I'm really pleased to see these goal posts back on the park.

“The local kids can play football on here in safety now instead of on the streets.

“This was a really well used facility for our children and the response from residents had been really positive about their return.

“This is the first of many improvements that we have pledged for our ward.

“Our children deserve safe places to play in the fresh air, we've listened to our residents about the improvements that they want to see and this is the first of many.”

Cllr Livesey says that the funding was sourced by her and her ward colleague Cllr Debbie Newall to make various improvements.

But she says that reinstating the goal posts has been top of her “to do” list over the last year and has worked with Bolton Council officers and contractors on the project.

Last summer Kearsley was chosen to receive the £65,000 worth of funding to be distributed to parks across the area.

This came from “106 funding” which is paid by developers for community projects like parks.

In January this year Cllr Newall said that parks in line for improvements could be found at various locations around Kearsley.

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These included parks found across Mossfield Lane, Brooke Street close to the Hare and Hounds pub, on Hulme Road, with potentially a new park to be created around Lord Street.

Councillors can support applications for 106 funding if the projects they have in mind take place in the same area as the developers are carrying out work.

There have also been plans discussed for further improvements in the Kearsley area including new “chatty benches” and a Covid Memorial Garden.

This will commemorate the lives lost during the pandemic of recent years once a suitable location is found.