Parents have been warned to watch out for ‘Britain’s most dangerous plant’ after a child in Bolton was left with burns.
The four-year-old ended up in hospital with second-degree burns from coming into contact with Giant Hogweed in Longsight Park.
A photo shows the poor tot’s hand covered in large blisters.
Parents are now being urged to teach their children how to recognise the dangerous plant so they don’t encounter it while playing in parks and woodland.
The sap from the invasive Giant Hogweed can cause photodermatitis or photosensitivity, meaning the skin can’t protect itself from sunlight, leading to blistering, pigmentation and scarring.
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The burns sustained from the contact with Giant Hogweed. Credit: Hardy Mill Primary School
It’s characterised by its thick, bristly stems which often have purple splotches, its enormous height (up to five metres), and large jagged leaves.
A statement from Hardy Mill Primary School said: “One of our children has sadly been in contact with this plant over the half term break and ended up at the hospital with second degree burns.
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“Please look out for this plant in your garden and when out and about with you children. We have been informed that this plant is definitely growing in Longsight Park.
“It would be helpful to show your children what this plant looks like so they can avoid coming into contact with it.”
A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “We haven’t had any reports of Giant Hogweed in Longsight Park and it isn’t somewhere we’ve had it in the past. However we will send an officer to the area to check.
“Our policy is to immediately treat all instances of accessible Giant Hogweed on our land to remove its presence.
“We are also currently carrying out a treatment on council land where Giant Hogweed was reported in the past, in order to limit its spread this year.
“We will continue to remove any accessible Giant Hogweed on council land as soon as it is reported, and would like to encourage the public to report any instances of what they believe to be Giant Hogweed on council land to [email protected] or by calling 01204 336632.”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
Bolton
Urgent search for missing 80-year-old ‘keen walker’ from Bury
Daisy Jackson
A keen walker and birdwatcher from Bury has gone missing while out walking in a local beauty spot, with an urgent search now taking place.
Brian Fletcher, 80, travelled from his home to the Tockholes area of Lancashire on Saturday afternoon.
Brian regularly walks in the area, police have said, including the Higher Roddlesworth and Lower Roddlesworth Reservoirs.
He hasn’t been seen since the weekend and officers are now urgently appealing for anyone who was in the area to come forward with dashcam footage.
If you were on the A675 Belmont Road – from Abbey Village to Tockholes – between 1.30pm and 2.30pm on Saturday, and have footage or information, you should contact the police immediately.
Brian was driving a grey Citroen C4 Cactus car, registration WP64HSC, which was found parked in a layby on the A675, near to Tockholes Road.
He’s described as 5ft 8, slim, with grey hair and a small scar on his face from a recent procedure.
When Brian was last seen he was wearing a dark blue jumper, blue cargo trousers, a tan baseball cap and walking boots.
Bolton Mountain Rescue confirmed that search helicopters and dogs are being used in the search.
Lancashire Police said: “We are concerned for Brian’s welfare and if you think you have seen him over the weekend in the Tockholes and surrounding areas, please get in touch.
“Any sightings, please call 999 immediately. If you have dashcam footage of his car or any information which could assist us in finding Brian, contact 101 – quoting log 1544 of 22nd March 2025.
“Our officers are being assisted by Mountain Rescue teams in the search.”
Plans submitted to demolish 54-year-old Greater Manchester shopping centre
Emily Sergeant
Detailed plans have officially been submitted for the demolition of a once-thriving shopping centre that’s stood standing for half a century.
You may remember that Bolton Council purchased the Crompton Place shopping centre back in 2018 as part of its town centre regeneration masterplan, with the intent to demolish the building’s original structure and use the newly-cleared space for public performances, events, pop-up markets and loads more.
Pending approval later this year, the Council has now formally submitted demolition plans, with the process taking just 50 weeks and being completed in a single phase.
Visitors to Bolton town centre are expected to ‘quickly see the benefits’ of the demolition, according to the Council, thanks to the reintroduction of a direct pedestrian route between Victoria Square and Bradshawgate.
Ahead of the long-term use of the space, the Council says this so-called ‘meanwhile use’ in the short period between demolition and the start of new developments will ensure the area remains ‘vibrant’ and continues to attract visitors to the town centre in order to support local businesses.
Plans have been submitted to demolish a 54-year-old Greater Manchester shopping centre / Credit: Geograph
The transformation of Crompton Place is Bolton’s flagship redevelopment project and work is said to be ‘well underway’ to find the right developers for the site.
Planning was previously granted for a mixed-use development to replace Crompton Place, including leisure and hospitality venues, but once developers are appointed, they will hold a public consultation on the future for the site – including how it’ll benefit the wider town centre.
The demolition of Crompton Place follows years of work to relocate the former tenants of the shopping centre elsewhere in the town centre.
“This demolition plan marks the start of a truly transformational project in the heart of Bolton town centre,” commented Bolton Council Leader Nick Peel, as the plans were formally detailed and submitted this week.
“Last year saw several regeneration projects successfully delivered, but the start of work on Crompton Place sends a clear signal that Bolton means business.
“We have already had significant interest in the site, and we are confident that investment in the site will attract even more developers to other parts of the town centre.”
Daisy Jackson -
15th June 2022 
