INVESTIGATORS have quashed fears that a landslide which happened at a Harwood quarry in summer could cause danger to residents.

The incident in June at the Booth Ventures Quarry, in Brookfold Lane, led to the landfill quarry halting operations while safety concerns were addressed.

News surrounding the landslide has caused concerns in Harwood, with one resident saying the situation reminded him of the 1966 Aberfan disaster because of the quarry’s proximity to St Brendan’s RC Primary School.

However, agents from the Environment Agency have confirmed that they were called out to the site after reports of a “waste slippage” and have assured residents that the area is safe.

A spokesman for the government-run agency said: “Environment Agency officers have inspected a waste site in Bolton following reports of a waste slippage in a quarry in June. The area where the slippage occurred is not close to any residential properties or public access areas and therefore, is no risk to residents or the community.

“Environment Agency officers have worked closely with the operator in the weeks following the incident and we are satisfied that the initial slippage has now been resolved. Going forward, we will continue to work with the operator to offer advice and guidance and to ensure their permit requirements continue to be complied with.”

Residents spoke about the issue at a public meeting last week, with Gerard Kearns, a father of two children at St Brendan’s saying: “It’s like a mountain at the back of the school and you can’t help thinking of what happened historically at Aberfan.

“There’s no point in reacting when it’s too late. Prevention is better than cure.”

Mr Kearns said that part of the reason he moved to the area was for the fresh air.

“My concern is that is the community breathing in an unhealthy amount of pollution from the vehicles using the quarry,” he added.

Ward councillor Stuart Haslam also spoke at the meeting, telling residents that Bolton Council’s planning office had asked the environment agency to do another inspection and produce an “urgent report”.

Representatives from the quarry issued a statement to residents at the meeting.

It said that workers at the site were carrying out “routine engineering works” to construct a new landfill area in the floor of the quarry.

While digging to create a drainage system as part of this work, engineers reached an area below the ground containing water-logged waste, which in turn started a “minor slip” in the quarry.

A spokesman for the quarry told The Bolton News: “Our engineering work is being validated by the Environment Agency, who were notified immediately and came to inspect the site.

"We subsequently agreed a plan to excavate the wet material and place it back into the landfill, which was completed in a short time.

"During the last few months the remaining engineering work was completed and the new cell has since been completed.”

Booth Ventures was set up in Harwood in 2007 and deals with both landfill and traditional quarrying.