After weeks of complaints about overgrown grass, action has finally been taken at Astley Bridge Cemetery and Park.
Residents who were concerned about the condition of Astley Bridge Cemetery and Park have been told that maintenance work has now been carried out.
Bolton Council confirmed grass was cut at Astley Bridge Park on June 23, while work has also taken place at Astley Bridge Cemetery following complaints from visitors struggling to access graves.
One Astley Bridge resident also criticised the condition of the nearby park.
They said: "We walked to Astley Bridge park tonight, nice summer evening, loads of families trying to spend time together outside.
"And unfortunately it was overgrown and covered in litter. On top of the works being done to the bridge having dug up half the grass, it was really disappointing.
"I know that local volunteer litter pickers do an amazing job, but I'm not sure what I'm paying my taxes for here.
"And to top it off, some guy riding a moped through the park where kids are playing."
There now seems to be an improvement
Astley Bridge councillor Hilary Fairclough said she had received numerous complaints from residents about the condition of the cemetery.
She said families should be able to visit loved ones' graves knowing the site is being maintained with dignity and care, but claimed some areas had become heavily overgrown.
Cllr Fairclough said she had been contacted by people who were unhappy with conditions at the cemetery and questioned whether promised improvements had materialised.
She also raised concerns about access to graves, saying some visitors had reported difficulty reaching or locating plots because of the height of the grass.
In response, Bolton Council confirmed maintenance teams had recently carried out work at both locations.
A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: "The grass at Astley Bridge Park has been cut yesterday morning (Tuesday 23 June).
"The Astley Bridge Cemetery has also been cut, prioritising the main routes. We will be returning to cut the remaining areas soon.
"Grass cutting across the borough is scheduled as one cut every five weeks, which is in line with the budget.
"This year, we have had a high proportion of very wet days, interspersed with a few sunny days, which increases growth rate.
"It also causes significant delays to the cutting schedule as some machinery cannot operate in saturated ground.
"Our operational teams take great pride in their work and want all our parks and green spaces looking their best at all times, but unfortunately, they must operate within the budget constraints and as weather allows."
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