WHITEFIELD wardens will walk the streets for the last time this Thursday.

The popular service, run in partnership with Bury Council and Rivers Housing Association, was launched in 2002 thanks to a Government grant.

However, the money has now run out both nationally and locally and the five street wardens will officially stop work on March 31.

The scheme was due to finish last year but it had proved so successful that funding was extended for a further 12 months.

The wardens were introduced to the Hillock and Victoria estates to tackle environmental problems, identify incidents of anti-social behaviour and to help reduce the fear of crime among residents.

Their presence has been praised by residents and the team worked closely with pupils from Whitefield Primary School to set up a Junior Wardens scheme.

Over the three years, the street wardens have visited more than 400 vulnerable residents, fitted security devices to more than 100 properties, involved 94 youngsters in the junior scheme, organised three Christmas hamper appeals and helped with 8 community clean up days to name just a few of their achievements.

A full history of the wardens' work was presented to a recent meeting of Whitefield and Unsworth area board by project manager Steve Morris.

He said: "This is the saddest presentation I have had to give. The wardens had a genuine interest and desire to change people's lives for the better."

Coun Derek Boden thanked the wardens for their work and added: "I regretted very much that we weren't able to continue funding for the wardens.

"The funding was from rents of Rivers tenants and council tenants with match funding from the Government. The Government said they would give us some money to get it going. We were then faced with two choices, either to put up the council tax or double rents."