POLICE were called to a Bolton park at the weekend following reports of people using a bow and arrows.

A complaint was made after three people were seen firing arrows at cans in Leverhulme Park at around 3.50pm on Sunday, March 21.

Police recovered two arrows from a nearby vehicle and said that enquiries were ongoing.

Cllr Sean Hornby, who represents the Little Lever and Darcy Lever ward, said that the reports were “worrying.”

He said: “It is obviously worrying. It is an offence to carry that sort of thing in a public place like a park.

“There are concerns in that area over kids being anti-social and shouting god-knows-what at people there. There have been a lot of police there recently - there have been kids and motorbikes flying around that area.

“I will be speaking with Greater Manchester Police in regards to the incident to keep updated on it.”

Similarly Cllr Rees Gibbon said an increase in police numbers and neighbourhood policing was needed to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area.

He said: People going about firing things like that is dangerous and it shouldn’t go on. Neighbourhood policing needs to be increased as anti-social behaviour is a problem for every ward.

“It’s a beautiful park and there are kids flying around there - not just with bow and arrows - but with motorbikes. When there are families, kids and people with dogs there, one of them could be hit.”

In the United Kingdom, compound bows themselves are legal, but the use of them anywhere other than a dedicated club is illegal with few exceptions.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “Police were called to Leverhulme Park in Bolton at about 3.50pm on Sunday 21 March 2021 to reports of people using a bow and arrows.

“A complaint had been made that three people were firing arrows at cans.

"Police recovered two arrows from a nearby vehicle and enquiries are ongoing.”