AN eco-warrior has blasted the council for carrying out a botched job which has posed a continuing threat to the environment.

Nancy Wallwork, of Woodland Walk in Castlefields, launched a campaign asking Halton Borough Council to prevent cars driving up the embankment of the lake at Castlefields Avenue North and spoiling the landscape.

But despite public money being spent on the installation of 12 wooden bollards to prevent vehicles passing through, they are spaced too far apart.

The mistake carried out by council contractors has meant anglers and other users have simply driven around the bollards - tearing up grass around the lake, at the edge of Green-bridge Close.

Nancy is also 'baffled' by the council's idea of cleanliness, after a red litter bin was placed in the lake causing sandwich packets and general rubbish to overspill and float on the water.

Said Nancy: 'I'm just someone wanting to look after my environment, but all the council seems to do is neglect us because we're Castlefields.

'They're allowing the flats to deteriorate, and now they're doing the same thing to the landscape.

'These cars have been going over the grass, which is illegal, and driving down to the edge of the lake.

'Some of them have been driving all the way around it, parking up and I have even seen them fishing out of their cars, with their feet on the dashboard.

'It is completely destroying the lake.

'I have walked round it a couple of times with people from the Neighbourhood Regeneration department of the council, but I have to keep pestering it to do something positive.

'I think it's all down to money.

People are constantly talking about caring for the environment, but when you actually show an interest nobody listens to you.

'It's absurd because the bollards were meant to have an impact in keeping the cars off the grass.

'Instead, the cars are still passing through and they're coming from all over the place.'

She added: 'The lake is a lovely spot and it should be somewhere for people to sit near and look at.

'I've got a picture of it from about 10 years ago and it really is beautiful, but you don't appreciate what you have until it starts to get ruined.

'They even put a litter bin in the lake, which is incredible when you think about it!

'I wrote a letter asking for something to be done in August, and I thought how wonderful it was when the bollards were put in - but it's never that simple! It's a real shame.'

Nancy, who works as a teaching assistant at The Park Primary school, said the lake should be turned into a location where children can play.

When the 12 bollards are replaced, Nancy's next mission will be to appeal to an anglers' association in Warrington to ensure fern weed is dragged out of the water to allow fish to thrive.

Her past environmental work also includes campaigning to clean-up Bluebell woods in Castlefields.

A borough council spokeswoman said: 'The bollards were incorrectly installed by a contractor who has been instructed to come back and fit them correctly.'