OFFENDERS carrying out Community Payback have fixed more than 500 ornamental poppies to lamp posts across Bolton as part of the town’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations.

People sentenced to unpaid work orders by the town’s Magistrates have been praised by councillors for the speedy way in which they have gone about the work.

The Cheshire & Greater Manchester Community Rehabilitation Company (CGM CRC) rigorously supervises people on Community Payback. CGM CRC supervised offenders carrying out the task last year, and were invited back by the council this year.

The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Elaine Sherrington, said: “The decorative poppies are a really nice touch for the town centre as we get ready to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.

“Community Payback is really worthwhile service and it was heartening to see the team doing such a good job.”

Mark Pimblett, Community Payback supervisor, is one of the supervisors who helped manage the project. Poppies adorn lamp posts around Victoria Square, the town hall and other popular areas of the town.

He said: “We were delighted to help, and it was a really good task for the lads to do.

“They were getting thumbs-up gestures from passers-by and it was clear that the town’s people were really impressed by their efforts.”

Two men held the ladder while one fixed a cable to each poppy and another climbed the ladder to set it to the lamp post.

Mark added: “Councillors were so impressed that they bought the lads a box of chocolates by way of saying ‘thank you’.”

People on Community Payback carry out a range of tasks across the town, completing thousands of hours of good work in the area each year. Tasks range from maintaining churchyards through to graffiti removal, litter picking and providing food to the elderly.