Land in Wince Brook Nature Reserve ‘annexed’ by residents

Concerns have been raised after a portion of public land in Wince Brook Nature Reserve in Middleton has been ‘annexed’ by several residents.

The land was first discovered when trees were planted near the Mainway East entrance of the Middleton nature reserve.

A spokesman for The Friends of Wince Brook explained: “Someone had taken part of the land to extend their garden and built a ‘barrier’ around it.

“Not only is the land still being reclaimed, but the barrier is wider than ever with the rubble fly-tipped a further 20 or 30 yards into the nature reserve: there was a ‘track’ leading from this dump to ‘their’ land.

“How anyone can be so selfish as to take public land for themselves and then further ruin that land by dumping their rubbish to create an eye-sore is beyond me.”

It is understood more than one resident has ‘claimed’ the land: in addition to the barrier, there have been reports of a slide, garden swing and small shed on the land.

Rochdale Borough Council has confirmed the fly-tipping has since been removed and the issue passed to the planning department.