RESIDENTS living in a parkland setting should feel safer thanks to an £8,000 fence.

A six-foot high mesh security fence has been erected around the perimeter of Victoria Park in Whitefield.

People living in streets surrounding the Bury New Road park had suffered damage to their garden fences which back on to the grassed area.

After a meeting with the residents and police, the Whitefield and Unsworth area board and Bury Council's parks and countryside service, it was decided that a security fence would help improve the situation.

The area board's cleaner, greener, safer initiative contributed £3,000 to the scheme, out of its budget of £30,000, and Bury Council's community safety team added a further £3,000 with £2,000 coming from the parks and countryside service.

All groups involved in the project were invited to see the fence put in place.

The fence has been designed and materials used to fit in with the park environment. Shrubs will be planted at a later date to enhance its appearance further.

Victoria Park has recently benefited from a number of improvements including lighting, tarmac footpaths, pruning of bushes and trees, a children's play area and ball zone.

Chairman of the area board, Coun Alan Matthews, said: " This project was suggested by local residents and the area board was pleased to respond. It very much reflects the area board's approach to community safety, supporting small schemes and enabling communities to make a real difference."