ANGRY campaigners took their protest into the town hall to voice their fury at plans to cut £43 million from the council’s budget.

About 20 people voiced their opposition to the so-called bedroom tax in the public gallery of the council chamber.

Police were called to help remove the protesters, some of whom were wearing masks.

The protest was organised by Bolton Trades Council after it was announced up to 500 jobs could be lost as a result of the cuts.

Supporters of the Bolton Against the Bedroom Tax campaign took part in the protest along with members of the Save Bolton Libraries campaign and Save Bolton Health Services campaign.

Councillors were jeered as they entered the town hall before last night’s full council meeting.

Horns and whistles were sounded outside the councillor's entrance and police had to stand guard against the protestors.

Campaigners sang songs and spoke on megaphones to hit home their displeasure at the etent of the council's cuts.

Bolton Council intends to make the revenue savings between 2015 and 2017, following a reduction in government grants and rising costs.

Plans include merging administration teams in the council into one department, sharing services with other authorities and depending more on community groups and charities to carry out litter picks and youth services work.

Bolton Council is in consultation over the proposals and they will be discussed at the full council meeting in February.

Martin McMulkin, secretary of Bolton Trades Union Council said: “These cuts will have a devastating impact on the borough of Bolton.

“They are very much a universal problem and will affect people who were not previously affected.

“They will most affect the people who don’t have a voice. These people have struggled through austerity and the cuts will hit them hard.

“I don’t know how our economy is supposed to recover with cuts like this.

“Where are 500 people going to find jobs in Bolton?”

Tom Hanley, from Save Bolton Libraries, said: “We are walking on a tightrope.

“These cuts mean profit, not people. The marginalised will suffer from these cuts.”

“It will mean more people will work zero hour contracts and earn less than the minimum wage in some cases.

“I’m 69 years old and never in my life have I known the amount of peril people are being put in.”

Karen Reissman, from Save Bolton Health Services, said: “These cuts will mean more health and social workers will be on poverty wages and a lesser quality of service.

“Banks have just been fined billions of pounds — why could some of this not be put back into health and social care services?”

Sean Harriss, chief executive of Bolton Council, said: “At the cabinet meeting in November, the council started a consultation process over how to balance the books over the next two years.

“The council highlighted that this would involve a lot of difficult decisions.”