GIANT hogweed is returning alongside Bolton's waterways, with people being urged to stay away from the plant.

The invasive plant can be found along the rivers Tonge and Croal, and has been spotted in Leverhulme Parka and Moses Gate Country Park.

It can take up to two years to grow, spread up to 100,000 seeds and can reach a height of 18 feet.

Contact with the plant can cause severe burns and blisters, which are extremely sensitive to the sun for years, and can cause blindness if it comes into contact with eyes.

Chris Banks, a volunteer for Bolton NEWT, reveals how you can identify the plant. He said: "It can be easy to misidentify the plant with our native hogweed or cow parsley. As it is part of the carrot family it shares the same traits such as the white umbrella-shaped flower head.

"There are a few easy steps to correctly identity giant hogweed, the first thing is to consider the location.

"Giant Hogweed has taken over the River Tonge, from Waters Meeting Road in Crompton next to the Bolton At Home head office, down the River into Tonge with the Haulgh.

"Leverhulme Park along the River Croal, it can be found behind the Bolton Lads and Girls Club Playing Fields and into Moses Gate.

"You will find giant hogweed has completely dominated the river banks in these locations and when it floods this helps to spread the seeds to higher ground, even when it doesn’t flood, over time the plant slowly creeps up hillsides.

"The leaves of the giant hogweed can grow between 3 foot to 4 foot in width with deeply divided smaller leaflets and very sharp jagged edges - it looks very vicious for a leaf.

"The stem is green with little white hairs and purple blotches.

"Bolton Council have mapped and do treat the giant hogweed on a yearly basis, focusing on areas in which are accessible to the public.

"But they cannot treat everywhere due to inaccessibility and private land. Seeds from untreated land will simply spread down river and germinate again.

"This is a plant that people will need to teach their children to identify, respect and keep a sensible distance for generations to come, it is a plant that it is here to stay."