NEEDLES and syringes have been found in the River Croal and the Environment Agency is struggling to keep the river clean as a result.

David Bendle, 29, who fishes for trout along the Croal, has found a build up of litter and detritus in the debris screen in the river near the White Lion Brow bridge.

He was concerned it was causing flooding in Queen's Park off Spa Road and took it upon himself to clear some of the rubbish before reporting the issue to the Environment Agency which has responsibility for the country's waterways.

Mr Bendle was shocked to learn the agency had had to stop its staff hand clearing the filter because they had found needles.

He said: "I was clearing the catch grate and the Environment Agency said they are not willing to remove the rubbish because of the needles. It's stopping people doing their jobs."

Mr Bendle says needles and syringes are a common problem near the River Croal, saying there is a often a pile near White Lion Court in White Lion Brow opposite Bolton Lads and Girls Club.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency confirmed the needles were a worry for the safety of its staff and said it would have to use heavy machinery to clear the grate.

However, the Environment Agency is struggling to get the machinery to the river because the access gate from the Chorley Street carpark is often blocked.

The spokesperson said: “The clearing of debris screens and grids forms an integral part of our day-today maintenance activities that reduce flood risk to local communities.

"The debris screen, near the White Lion Brow Bridge on the River Croal, is one of many that is included on our regular maintenance schedule which can take place every fortnight or more depending on the height of the flows.

“In most cases, the clearing of these debris screens takes place by hand but a number of concerning finds, including needles and syringes, has meant the debris screen near the White Lion Brow Bridge must now be cleared using our heavy plant machinery including a Hiab Crane Lorry.

"However, this is also proving to be difficult as the gate required for access by our team is continually blocked by parked cars. We are working with Bolton Council to try and rectify the access issues and ensure our team and necessary equipment can get through safely.

“The health and safety of our team is paramount to all of our activities and we will never put any member of staff in a potentially dangerous situation when they are out on the ground.

"The welfare of the community is also of great importance and we urge members of the public not to attempt to clean or access the debris screen themselves.

"The dangers posed by the presence of the needles as well as the threat of fast water during high flows means this should be avoided at all costs. Just 6 inches of fast flowing water can knock you off your feet and members of the public should always aim to stay safe and vigilant when near any watercourse.

“We also encourage members of the public to always report any concerns around watercourses to our incident hotline 0800 80 70 60.”