Bolton: Mother and daughter clean up after teens barbecue at popular picnic spot

Eileen Riding, 75, came across a group of around a dozen teenage boys having a barbecue where she regularly walks her dog on the Middlebrook trail in Lostock.

She and her daughter took it upon themselves to clean the area up – filling up three bags full of rubbish in the process.

She said: “Unfortunately, they seemed to think that the woodland elves would be around to pick up after them.

The mess that was left behind

“I’m sure kids are taught not to litter at school, but they probably think somebody else will sort it.

“You do get litter there sometimes, but this was an awful lot. We picked up all their plates and cups.”

Mrs Riding often volunteers at Rivington Terraced Gardens, so she is adept at litter picking. They cleaned the area up in around half an hour.

The mess that was left behind

She says that more bins in the area might be a useful addition in order to help encourage people to dispose of their litter properly.

“There is a bin, but it might be hard to see at the moment because of the spring growth. There aren’t any other bins the length of Middlebrook trail. I would be helpful if there were more bins.”

The site near Heaton Bridge is a popular family spot, but Mrs Riding the boys left behind an 'awful lot' of litter, so much so that she would not want a family to turn up and find it in that state.

After Eileen and her daughter cleared the area up

“It’s the school holidays now and parents sometimes take their kids there. It’d be a shame for them to come and find it like that.”

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Thank you to the local residents who cleared up this litter.

“We remove fly tips on council owned land as part of the scheduled street cleaning programme. Residents are encouraged to report incidents of fly tipping on council land via the website.”

On top of the litter issue, barbecues are being warned against by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service after disposable barbecues have been found to be the cause of significant wildfires.

READ: Moorland fire in Bolton sparks warning from firefighters

Earlier this month Water Manager for GMFRS, Station Manager Alex Sugden, said: “Every year, fires destroy countryside and wildlife across Greater Manchester, and they are often caused by carelessness.

“We urge people enjoying the countryside to please never bring a barbecue.

“Fires on moorland can be incredibly dangerous, causing huge disruption to local communities, and taking up the time of our fire crews who may be needed for other serious incidents.”