Rubbish at Packer Spout angering locals

Photo: Ben Boothman

Rubbish at Packer Sport

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Residents in the local area are frustrated at the amount of rubbish that is being left at Packer Spout gardens.

Local resident Clair Langley said: “There is just loads of rubbish. It varies from pizza boxes to chip boxes to vodka bottles and broken glass. Apparently a couple went to have their wedding photos there last week but couldn’t because of the state it was in.”

The Packer Spout gardens are located behind Rochdale Town Hall next to the church steps.

The gardens were built in the 1930s. The spring that feeds the ornamental pond in the gardens was known as Packer Spout. This also fed Rochdale’s first reservoir. It is understood that pack horses were watered at Packer Spout – hence the name.

Clair added: “It seems to be students who are causing the issue and it seems to be that when the sun comes out people turn up and it turns into a right mess.”

The issue has angered the owner of The Flying Horse, Ben Boothman, who has taken photos of the area to show the mess it has become.

Clair added: “It is horrendous and it needs sorting.”

Clair and other local residents are now hoping that the area gets cleaned up and is brought back to its former beauty.

She added: “It definitely needs cleaning up because it is dangerous. When I am out walking my dog I have to second guess what he is doing and where he is going because it is not just pieces of broken glass it can be bottles with jagged ends on and it is dangerous for people.”