A DAD who offered to transform a car park — which has become a magnet for youths playing loud music and taking drugs — says he has had his efforts thwarted by Bolton Council.

Lee Hodgkinson wants to spruce up the car park leading to Ladyshore Park in Little Lever by fencing part of it off, trimming the shrubbery and building a stile to make it more attractive.

The 47-year-old has also asked for a gate to be installed so there is a dawn-to-dusk policy, bringing it in line with some other beauty spots, with genuine park users being given a key to get in and out.

He says his family’s life has been turned into a nightmare by young motorists pulling up onto the car park outside their house.

They are playing music and smoking drugs throughout the evening, preventing them from sleeping, and stopping others from using the local beauty spot.

The father-of-three says cars speed down Ladyshore Road and park in the car park from the evening until the early hours, keeping his children, aged six, nine and 16, awake.

Mr Hodgkinson said: “The car park is a mess and I said I would make it look nicer, but there is so much bureaucracy and now I am asking the council to bring a gate closer so these youths can’t get into the car park while those who use it early in the morning and late in the evening can.”

His partner Shona Nodwell, aged 31, said: “This has gone on for two years, and cars come down from 8pm and 9pm onwards and now people are stopping using the park.

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“In the morning they leave all their rubbish, the cans and drugs paraphernalia and we have a dog walker who comes in the morning with a bag to clean it up.”

Mr Hodgkinson says he will pay for his own gate for the car park if the council does not take action soon.

The police have been called a number of times and Mr Hodgkinson say this keeps people away from the car park for a few days before the trouble starts again.

A council spokesman said: “The council is working closely with the local policing team and local councillors to tackle issues in the area.

“We will look into this and discuss this matter with the police. To report incidents of anti-social behaviour please ring Greater Manchester Police on 101.”

Little Lever councillor Paul Richardson said: “There is a tick box mentality in the council — it is a mentality in the town hall — and when there is a problem we should be positive about it and say we can do something about it.

“I would ask this person to contact me — that’s what I am here for.”