Locals have been forced to maintain a “well-used” Astley Bridge park which has become overgrown. Andrew Lane Park has according to local residents been “neglected with knee-high grass and weeds” despite calls to mow it. Cllr Hilary Fairclough said: “I have represented this area for 24 years and have never seen it as bad as it is now.
“The grass is so high it is growing through the benches, and it is almost impossible for children to play. “The hedges are in desperate need of cutting back, some causing serious safety issues for drivers and pedestrians when the sight line is obscured.” Overgrown hedge; Andrew Lane Park hedge compared to memorial garden maintained by Matthew Wild (Image: Cllr Hilary Fairclough) Cllr Fairclough has contacted Bolton Council’s Neighbourhood Services on "many occasions in the past few weeks".
She said: "I only get the standard reply that the wet weather in March and April and the shortage of manpower has meant that grass cutting in the town is very much behind schedule, but this just isn’t good enough. "I have visited many other towns nearby and they seem to have managed with presumably the same wet conditions. I can only assume it is down to the council’s priorities.
“My last response from the [Neighbourhood Services] was that it would be cut in the next ten days but that was on July 10, so we will see.” Now a local businessman has stepped in to help. Matthew Wild, son of late Astley Bridge councillors Paul and Christin.
