Garages hit by fly-tipping being demolished

The garages on Baguley Crescent had become a magnet for fly-tipping and vandalism

Work has begun to demolish dozens of garages which have become a "magnet for fly-tipping".

The garages, on a road between Prestwich and Middleton, have been in a state of disrepair for years.

The site, on Baguley Crescent, has become a hotspot for people dumping mattresses, electrical goods and furniture.

Bury Council said they had to act because the garages were a source of imminent danger to the public.

David Hardman has owned a home on Baguley Crescent since 2014

The roofs have collapsed on some of the garages while others have burned down.

On others, the metal doors had been ripped off and they are covered with overgrown trees.

David Hardman, who has owned a home on Baguley Crescent since 2014, said: "People were setting fire to the garages.

"I'd come home at night and fire engines were here, putting the fires out.

"The council would clear the fly-tipping but within weeks the garages would be full of mattresses, old beds and fridge freezers again.

"You see rats running across the road."

The demolition of the garages on Baguley Crescent is expected to take up to two weeks

When the demolition work is completed, some residents have suggested the land could be used as a children's playground.

Others would like to see the land being used as a car park.

Francesca Estasy, who has lived on Baguley Crescent since 1992, said: "With these garages going to be coming down, I'm really hoping the council will do off-road parking and alleviate some of the colossal parking problems that we have on the crescent."

Francesca Estasy has lived on Baguley Crescent since 1992

David Adams is a landlord who owns about 20 flats on Baguley Crescent.

He said: "Sometimes, people who don't even live on the crescent dump rubbish here.

"We've seen vans pulling up and dropping off mattresses outside the derelict garages.

"It just adds to the problem all the time.

"The demolition work is good news so long as the place is cleaned up and all the debris is removed."

David Adams is a landlord who owns about 20 flats on Baguley Crescent

Bury Council has put up an enforcement notice at the site.

It said it had to act because the garages were a source of imminent danger to the public.

The council also said the owners of the garages would be liable for the cost of the demolition work.

The demolition work and the removal of the debris is expected to take up to two weeks.