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Covid: Police break up illegal gathering at Rivington beauty spot

Lancashire Police Illegal gathering (left) and emergency servicesLancashire Police
There was anti-social behaviour in the illegal gathering on Friday, say police

An illegal gathering of about 70 people at a popular beauty spot was broken up over the bank holiday weekend despite warnings by police to stay away.

Lancashire Police responded to reports of a group of people drinking and taking drugs at Rivington Castle between Bolton and Chorley on Friday.

A number of minor fires also had to be put out on surrounding moorland.

The force said it was working to get a public spaces protection order to ban the use of barbecues on the moorland.

Police said the fires were mainly caused by disposable barbecues next to the reservoir and were extinguished by firefighters.

PA Media Firefighters tackle a wild fire on Winter Hill near BoltonPA Media
A moorland blaze in Winter Hill was declared a major incident in 2018 and took more than a month to put out

Police had asked people not to travel to the Rivington area, including Rivington Pike, which is traditionally a gathering point for a walk on Good Friday.

However, police said a group of between 20 and 30 people were moved on at the Pike at about 14:00 that day.

Later that evening, officers found about 70 people, some of whom were drinking and suspected of taking cannabis and nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas.

The group was dispersed by officers with many fleeing into Horwich.

There have been a number of huge blazes on moorland in Lancashire including one on nearby Winter Hill in 2018 which was declared a major incident.

And in January, police criticised the public for "blatant breaches of the Covid rules" when thousands descended on Rivington when it snowed.

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