MORE than £650,000 could be handed to Wigan Council by the New Opportunities Fund for area makeovers.

Bickershaw, Golborne, Higher Folds, Plank Lane and Shakerley are set to benefit from the "Green Scheme."

The funds will be used to improve environments by making communities safer, cleaner and more welcoming.

Senior Funding Officer Claire Greenwood said: "All the bids are now in. We will hear if we've got the money by November. When we've got approval we'll be contacting the successful applicants."

Many ideas were submitted across the area from creating community gardens to cleaning ponds.