RESIDENTS have rubbished a council campaign to clean up litter in Little Lever.

Staff from the council’s Love Bolton, Hate Litter campaign were met with scepticism from residents during the Little Lever and Darcy Lever Area Forum on Monday.

Residents were also quick to question the lasting impact of the major clean-up carried out by school pupils in March where they collected 192 bags of rubbish in two hours.

John Swindels, aged 68, of Church Hill, said he had resorted to litter picking to help clear up the area.

Mr Swindels said: “It’s great that the kids picked up all that litter but within a couple weeks, there’s litter everywhere again.

“It seems like the only way to deal with the problem is to get out there with a bag and do it yourselves. I go out every couple of weeks and there’s rubbish everywhere.”

But area co-ordinator Idris Jeewa said the idea behind the campaign was to raise awareness about the environment.

Mr Jeewa said: “The idea was that it would kick-start an environmental awareness and that schools would carry out litter picks more regularly.

“We provided the high visibility bibs and litter pickers, so the onus is on the schools to carry out more litter picks.”

Cllr David Evans added: “This is about behavioural change and it starts with children, but it will take time.”

Dog fouling was also raised as a problem in Little Lever.

Resident Ralph Richardson said: “Dog fouling in Mytham Road is definitely becoming more prevalent to the point where you have to watch where you’re stepping.”

When asked how many fixed penalty fines had been served, Christine O’Readon, an environment education and enforcement officer, said she did not know the figures.

She said: “Unless you report the dog foulers or people seen dropping litter to us then we cannot issue the fines because we don’t know about them.”