A FORMER industrial eyesore has been transformed thanks to a £50,000 grant.

The cash, via the Business Investment Programme, was awarded to C&C Recycling to spruce up a derelict unit and surrounding land at its new base in Lower Woodhill Road, Bury.

Formed in 1987, C&C Recycling was originally located at the former Macpherson paint works in Radcliffe Road, Bury, but the firm needed to move in order to expand.

The company, which has 39 employees, sorts and processes waste paper for recycling and also offers a data destruction service to businesses.

They bought the "eyesore" unit on the banks of the River Irwell and set about transforming it into a safe, clean location, providing improved conditions for the workforce and increased productivity.

Thousands of tonnes of tipped materials had to be removed before hard surfaces and drainage could be installed and the river bank was re-graded and systems designed to incorporate the latest environmental protection measures. The building was smartened up with new cladding and offices renovated.

The company has already increased the size of its workforce and anticipates more new jobs.

The Business Investment Programme is run by Bury Council, in partnership with Groundwork Bury. Since 1997, BIP has helped more than 60 local companies improve premises.