CARING schoolgirl Samantha Hollingsworth's wish is to come true.

The eight-year-old wrote to Bury Metro's mayor, Councillor Neville Singer, asking what the Council could do to help the homeless.

Now she's found out herself - at the controls of a JCB digger!

Samantha's been given the task of beginning the work of clearing up a major eyesore site in Radcliffe which will eventually provide homes for 160 people.

Said Radcliffe Renewal Advisory Committee Chairman Councillor Kevin Scarlett: "For many years the old Smyrna works site in Radcliffe has been in need of major improvements.

"Now, through partnership with Irwell Valley Housing Association, that is to happen.

"This has been a derelict site for around five years and we are more than happy to see it brought back into use and providing much needed homes for local people."

Through a project at her school - St Bernadette's in Whitefield - Samantha wrote to the Mayor expressing her concern about what was being done for homeless people.

The Authority thought there was no better way to show her that they are not being forgotten by inviting her along to the beginning of its Radcliffe project.

Donning a hard hat Samantha took control of the earth-mover to begin work on the site that will eventually provide a mixture of social housing involving some 63 dwellings.

These will include two specially adapted houses with wheelchair access.

The site preparation will include the re-culverting of a stream which runs under the site, and the houses are expected to be built early next year.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.