Drilling machine 'Jane' begins pollution project

The tunnelling device has been named after a local campaigner

A large drilling machine named Jane has started work digging a huge network of tunnels under a local park as part of a £38 million plan to cut river pollution in Greater Manchester.

United Utilities' device will create large new storm tanks in the area by Longsight Park in Bolton to reduce the amount of sewage spilling into the nearby Bradshaw Brook.

It has been named after local campaigner Jane Wilcox, who said the work would lead to a "clear water brook" rather than "brown particulate" one.

She is one of several residents who have pushed the company to improve the area's waterways, which are some of the dirtiest in the area.

A special shaft was engineered to make way for the machine

The machine was lowered into a tunnel shaft at the park to start tunnelling out tanks that can hold enough water to fill one-and-a-half Olympic swimming pools.

They will be built between Longsight Park, Bolton Arboretum, and Firwood industrial estate.

Currently sewage drains into Bradshaw Brook after heavy rain from storm overflow sites in Astley Bridge, Dunscar Bridge and the Firwood estate.

The project is designed to reduce run off from the tanks, and is set to be completed by March 2025.

It comes alongside United Utilities' work to increase capacity at its sewage treatment works in Bolton.