Taskforce set up over beauty spot littering

Video still of a boy kicking litter at Dovestone Reservoir recently.

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A MULTI-AGENCY taskforce is launching a crackdown at a beauty spot plagued by marauding and litter louts.

On Saturday and Sunday, GMP's Saddleworth policing team will be working with the RSPB, Park Rangers Service, Greater Manchester Fire Service and United Utilities at Dovestone, Greenfield.

Police officers, some on mountain bikes, supported by a mobile police station, will patrol the area as part of the crackdown on potential problems.

There will also be six special constables, Oldham Council wardens and a group of fire cadets giving advice around fire risks with barbecues and water dangers.

Dumped

The news comes after the Chronicle reported on anti-social behaviour at the much-loved visitor destination such as discarded barbecues believed be the source of large scale fires on the moors. Drunken groups have also caused damage and dumped large amounts of litter.

And police say a recent deployment of officers dealt with assaults, possession of class B drugs and a road traffic collision.

And Life for a Life memorial forest, dedicated to deceased family and friends, was used as a picnic area with litter and rubbish left behind.

PC Lee Cullen, Saddleworth South neighbourhood beat officer, said: "Some trees have been snapped over and one of the plaques damaged.

"This is unacceptable in a memorial area where families come to visit love ones with some of the trees having ashes scattered amongst the roots.

"It is not an area large groups can attend drinking alcohol or cooking hot food using barbecues.

"Police, along with our partners, want people to come to Dovestone and enjoy the unique, beautiful scenery of a national park.

"We do not want it treated like a dumping ground where they come and litter the area with discarded items along with still smouldering discarded barbecues on what is now tinder dry foliage.

"If fire was to take hold, it would rapidly spread and become a serious incident ­- not only the fire service but also for persons possibly trapped in the affected area."

He added: "We have also had large groups of males and females at Dovestone with quantities of alcohol which duly gets consumed and then they exhibit in an anti-social way which really is causing distress and alarm to large numbers of the public.

"This is evidenced by comments on social media with the overwhelming view from the community supporting police attendance with some of them no longer visiting this much loved area due to the increase in incidents.

"Barbecues are not to be taken to Dovestone and we ask the local community and visitors to assist the partnership in working to make the area safe and enjoyable for all visitors."

Dr Andrew Taylor, chairman of Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents' Association, said: "We are delighted at PC Cullen's dynamic approach.

"It is a great shame several organisations have to put in what amounts to hundreds of man hours of voluntary and professional time to deal with a problem which did not exist 15 years ago.

"Costed out, it would come to thousands of pounds of effort which could so well be spent more productively elsewhere."