RESIDENTS fed up of seeing broken bottles and sweet wrappers in Hoyles Park are calling for the council to clean it up.

Ken and Irene Smith, who live opposite the park in Huntley Mount Road, believe the area has been neglected in favour of other parks across the borough.

They say it is time Bury Council took action to bring the park up to the standard required for a Green Flag award.

Mr Smith (65) is chairman of the Hoyles' Veterans' Bowling Club and uses the park every day to walk his dog. He said: "I have lived here for 33 years and have never seen the park in such a state. It used to be a beautiful place. Now, there's dog dirt everywhere and lots of broken glass and rubbish. It's a disgrace. We hear all about the thousands of pounds being spent on other parks across Bury and they look very nice. The council has worked hard to make sure they are given Green Flag awards, but I want to know when Hoyles Park will get one."

Mr Smith says the park has become over-run by youths, with teenagers congregating on weekend nights.

He said: "The council put in a shelter a couple of months ago, but it has been set on fire and covered in graffiti. There are also broken vodka bottles, beer cans and cigarette stubs all around it. People are too afraid to use the park and the police don't seem to be doing anything about it."

However, a spokeswoman for the council said they were working hard to improve all the borough's parks.

She said: "As a council, we have taken great strides in all of our parks over the last five or six years, including Hoyles Park, which has seen a ball zone, a new play area and new railings to the front of the park installed. Most of the paths have also been resurfaced, making it accessible, and derelict buildings removed to increase the appearance.

"Work will continue this winter to tidy up the rougher areas and bring them back into some form of regular maintenance and to possibly introduce more planting beds.

"We are working with the local police and the police community support officers to combat anti-social behaviour in parks. We will, however, increase our work in Hoyles Park to see what the problems actually are."