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Residents and volunteers attend Queens Park litter pick

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Volunteers took to the streets to clean-up the rubbish of selfish fly-tippers in an area of Bolton, where CCTV cameras have been installed to catch those in the illegal act of dumping rubbish.

The area around Queens Park was the scene of a full-scale community litter pick.

The clean-up was organised by Bolton Council, as well as members of several community alliances, and saw locals take a hands-on approach to tackling what they see as a major issue.

Council enforcement officer Holly Morris said: "This has come about because there are some wards that have gone in for extra environmental enforcement officers.

(Image: Dan Dougherty)

"They want to keep litter down and report offenders. They've also done door-to-door knocking in the area to let people know there's a litter-pick going on, and to give them advice about recycling and rubbish collection.

"They want to clean things up around here, around the park, and on another part of Gilnow Road.

"They don't want it to be just a one-off though - they want it create a long-lasting change.

"If everybody looked after their own doorstep, then it would be absolutely brilliant."

Volunteers and council officers met at Queens Park café before moving over the road to Mayor Street, where the rubbish was particularly bad.

Fida Shah, resident (Image: Dan Dougherty)

There was everything from cans, glass, and crisp packets all the way up to rotten wooden pallets and old sofa cushions littering the streets, directly next to 'no dumping' signs.

Resident and volunteer Fida Shah said: "I often come out to help pick litter - there would usually be more of us but some of the guys are at work.

"It's very important to keep your area clean and tidy.

"A lot of the property round here is rental property and people just don't care - they just throw things on the floor, or fly-tip.

Ruth next to fly-tipped rubbish (Image: Dan Dougherty)

"It's a real shame. Then people come and clean it up, but the next week it's back to how it was."

The work took place in two parts, each focussing on a different side of Gilnow Road. Volunteers picked litter while a large van rode around the back streets collecting larger bits of fly-tipped rubbish.

Yasmin Oskoei, who runs Khidma Ladies Group, was one of the volunteers in attendance.

Yasmin said: "I'm a great believer in keeping your area clean - nobody wants to live in a mess.

"People should look after their area as they look after the planet. Everybody should try to get involved."

No Littering signs right next to the rubbish (Image: Dan Dougherty)

Ruth Crawford of the Queens Park Alliance added: "If everybody did just their own bit there would be no problems. We could keep everything under control.

"Just their own front and back gardens.

"People often don't realise that cigarette ends count as litter too - it's a fineable offence!"

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