Bolton has the fewest instances of fly-tipping in England and is the 'friendliest town in the North West', according to new research.

A survey by PensionBee showed that Bolton has the lowest fly-tipping rates out of the 30 largest cities and towns in the country - with only 349 cases per 100,000 people.

This compares to the likes of Manchester which had a rate 10 times higher than that, at 3,447 incidents per 100,000 people.

One councillor has praised the selfless people of Bolton, saying 'it is wonderful news'.

Cllr Hilary Fairclough, Bolton Council's executive cabinet member for regulatory services, said: "It is down to the sterling work that all our litter pickers do. We now have an extraordinary number of people who help keep Bolton tidy from the single litter picker to the groups who tackle places like the Mop and wooded areas round the town that have sadly been neglected over many decades.

"It is all down the wonderful community spirit and pride in our town that people bring everyday.

"The council works hard to dissuade fly tipping and we always prosecute if the evidence is there"

The study, conducted by PensionBee, also looks at the most caring cities, based on a number of factors and Bolton comes in as the eighth most caring city overall - but highest in the North West.

Nine factors are taken into account - relating to community spirit, charitable contributions and efforts to look after the environment.

Cllr Fairclough added: "We have a town full of selfless people who genuinely care for others - everything from single acts of kindness to one another, sometimes randomly, to the more grandiose schemes such as organising food parcels, helping out at the vaccine centres, fundraising and supporting charities and communities.

"I am so very proud to live in Bolton and I experience acts of kindness every day. And whilst this pandemic has done its best to bring us to our knees, it has failed because so many people in Bolton have been kind, cared about others and kept us all together."

PensionBee CEO Romi Savova added: "Our research highlights the caring nature of many residents in towns and cities across England, based on a range of factors relating to community, charity and the environment.

"The past year has been difficult, but it’s also brought many of us together and shown how caring our communities can be. We've seen people go out of their way to help vulnerable neighbours and strangers survive during tough periods of isolation, while furloughed workforces volunteered at local charities to support them through this challenging time.

"And lest we forget, the cheers that could be heard on Thursday evenings as streets across the country were filled with people standing on their doorsteps to clap for our NHS.

"When times are tough, communities will often pull together in a show of strength and solidarity."