HOUSE proud residents have slammed the local authority for letting their estate down.

Residents, many who are pensioners, in Deepdale Road, Breightmet, say it has been over three months since the grass verges on the roadside have been cut.

They say they are struggling to do it themselves because of their age.

Neighbours initially thought the grass verges were the responsibility of landlord Bolton at Home because since April they pay 84 p a week service charge for estate maintenance costs — but according to Bolton at Home, the verges were the responsibility of Bolton Council.

Mary Banks, aged 65, said: "The estate looks a mess, we are being let down by whoever is responsible for the grass verges

"The grass is more than two foot high and weeds are growing on top of weeds."

She added: "We look after our properties but the area is just being left to become overgrown."

Neighbours have taken it upon themselves to cut the some of the verges, but because of the age of some of the residents, Miss Banks said that this was not a long term solution to the problem.

Some residents pay someone to do the verges.

She said: "If the estate looks nice, it makes people feel better.

"Other streets including Wasdale Avenue and Kentmere Road have been left."

"We make an effort to keep our properties nice but the estate is left to become a mess."

Councillors in Astley Bridge and Bromley Cross both contacted the council pushing for the grass to be cut in their wards in recent weeks — with Cllr David Greenhalgh writing on Facebook that Bolton Council had told him that because the grass had grown so long, it was taking longer to cut.

Breightmet's ward councillors said they were aware of the concerns and had been in touch with the council.

Cllr John Byrne said: "I spoke to residents on Sunday after church and a lot of people are concerned about the grass. I have had a report back from the green spaces manager who explained the bad weather meant they could do the first cut of the season and are now playing catch up and it is an issue affecting the whole borough."

Cllr Adele Warren, said: "I have had complaints from residents from all over Breightmet which I have fed back to environmental services and am pushing for work to be done.

"People want the area to looked after and I am 100 per cent behind them."

She added: "I have been told there is a backlog, with the wet weather at the start delaying work. I am really pushing for work to be done. What residents are experiencing is Bolton at Home areas are well kept despite experiencing the same weather."

Cllr Warren said that after speaking to the council, the grass should be cut later this week.