LOOKING BACK: Holiday hill climb, sensational sunshine and overflowing bins

TEENAGERS, toddlers and people young and old streamed up Holcombe Hill on Good Friday as clear blue skies and warm sun provided the perfect Easter setting for the trek to the summit.

The glorious weather made Friday's climb one of the most successful in recent years and certainly quashed any ideas that the tradition is dying.

Families and people from across the borough were joined by train-loads of ramblers from Manchester as Holcombe Village was crammed full, taking on the appearance of a holiday resort.

Parked cars blocked every single space and camera-carrying visitors queued for cool drinks and ice cream, or wandered around enjoying the sun.

Stalls set up around the start of the summit walk sold just about everything a visitor was likely to need ­— from cushions and cups to bows and arrows and other toys. And there were even one armed bandits.

However there were reminders of the religious significance of the day with two special joint services held on the hill by local churches.

HOLCOMBE hikers were not the only ones making the most of the weekend weather as a dose of super sunshine tonic sent many Bury families heading for coastal and inland resorts.

By car, train and coach, off they went enjoying the first holiday sunshine of the year.

Easter Monday temperatures in Bury rose to 58 degrees Fahrenheit ­— four degrees hotter than Majorca ­— and not a drop of rain was recorded in the four Easter days.

Coach firms took parties to all the usual coastal resorts, and those who stayed at home saw Bury at its best ­— bathed in sunshine.

Clarence Lido was a favourite spot for those not wishing to travel from the town and the lido was filled to capacity on each of the four days, with a good number of people took the first dip of the year in the outdoor swimming pool.

However for the fire service the weekend was also "the busiest Easter weekend the brigade has ever had", Bury's fire chief said.

In the past eight days the brigade has dealt with 85 calls, mostly to grass fires, compared with 157 for the whole of April last year.

THE holiday was causing further trouble in the south of Bury as rubbish dumped by the side of Sunny Bank Road is causing concern among residents who fear the possibility of rats and of disease developing.

Rubbish containers were left over flowing after the Easter weekend with shop keepers and residents reporting people dumping waste on the ground.

Items from food to carpets are being fly-tipped and attracting children who set fire to the rubbish and scavenge.

Fire crews have been called twice in the past week to deal with fires on the tip.

Fruit shop owner, Mr David Radivan, said: "They come from other estates besides Sunny Bank. Builders also leave bricks and all sorts of things here. It gets more like Moss Side every day."

Anyone caught dumping waste outside the containers is liable for a £100 fine, and a corporation sign stands on the ground warning of the penalty.

Grocery shop owner, Mr Robert Burns, said however: "This means nothing, no one ever gets fined for dumping.

"It annoys me and many other shop owners because we pay an extra £30 a year to have our rubbish collected and we don't use the containers."