Bolton beauty spot 'trashed' by louts

The good weather has been bringing out the visitors at Rivington Reservoir – but it seems not everyone knows how to treat the countryside with respect.

These pictures show the scene of devastation facing landowner United Utilities after mindless louts spent the night there on Saturday.

Bottles were smashed, tents were left behind and the ground was strewn with toilet paper and broken glass.

United Utilities ranger Andy explained what happened: “Liverpool Castle is a popular landmark for visitors, but it was completely trashed at the weekend.

“You could see that bottles had been thrown at the walls so there was glass everywhere which is really dangerous for the young families and dog walkers who want to visit. There was all sorts of rubbish as well as four tents and a gazebo left behind.

“Whoever did this broke down the bollards to get their vehicle into the site. They even hacked down two young trees to make a fire. It’s really heart-breaking to see the way some people behave. It spoils this beautiful area for everyone else.”

It took nearly four hours for Andy to clean up the mess that was left behind.

United Utilities spends around £80,000 a year on the removal of rubbish and waste left through fly-tipping.

In a second incident at Rivington yesterday, a visitor reported seeing a lout pull up in a car and dump waste left from growing cannabis. The details have been passed on to the police.

Andy added: “Rivington is a special place, with around one million visitors a year. We encourage everyone to enjoy the countryside here, we would just ask that they put their rubbish in a bin or take it home with them.”