A group of Travellers will be told to leave a park in Bolton after appearing to have arrived and set up camp over the weekend, officials say. The group are believed to have gone onto Barlow Park in Astley Bridge at some point on Saturday August 17. But Bolton Council have now said that they are aware of the Travellers’ presence and would working for a legal order to tell them to leave.
Cllr John Walsh, of Astley Bridge, said: “I’m clearly very pleased that the council have acted as quickly as Greater Manchester Police acted on Saturday. “It’s very important that we protect our playing fields and hopefully this will help us to do that.” Bolton Council says it will be telling the group to leave (Image: Newsquest) Cllr Walsh had first raised the alarm on Saturday afternoon after being told at around 5.
30pm that the Travellers had apparently trespassed onto Barlow Park. As of Monday, a Bolton Council spokesperson confirmed that the authority is aware of the group's presence. They say they have carried out welfare checks and have started legal proceedings to secure a "direction to leave.
" Found just off Dunoon Drive, Barlow Park is one of several around the borough to be run by Bolton Council. The park includes a football pitch, cricket pitch, multi-use pitch and a playground as well as large wide-open spaces and is a popular destination for families and dog walkers. Cllr Walsh said he had contacted the police who responded, “within the hour” and established that t.