Bradshaw Brook Flying Fishing Club tackle Japanese Knotweed

Since 2022, John Frazer, the secretary of Bradshaw Brook Flying Fishing Club, has with volunteers and contractors controlling the spread of Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed on Bradshaw Brook, from the Jumbles Dam, to the confluence with the River Tonge in Leverhulme Park.

John said “The Japanese Knotweed is treated for a nominal 4m back from the waters edge, to prevent its spread downstream.

“To date we have reduced over 15,000m2 of riverbank Japanese Knotweed by between 95 per cent and 99 per cent. We have now reached the final stage of the project from the Bury Road Bridge to the confluence with the Tonge.

“We treat Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed by either injecting herbicide directly into the plant’s stem or spraying.

“In June we identified a cluster of Giant Hogweed plants between the Tonge Trail and Bradshaw Brook, close to the Tonge confluence.

“The surrounding vegetation was too thick to allow access this year, so we arranged with Bolton Council to spray these plants in the spring of 2026.

READ MORE: Bolton fishing club helping to clear Japanese Knotweed

Giant hogweed eradicated in Bradshaw Brook after fishing group work

“Funding for the 2025 Project has come from United Utilities, Bolton Council via Bolton Green Umbrella, Bolton School, BBFFC and the Friends of Longsight Park.”

It was in 2022, John started to notice that the area was becoming overrun with Japanese Knotweed – an invasive plant which is fast-growing and can cause chaos in homes and gardens by shattering concrete, foundations, and patios.

The Royal Horticultural Society states that Japanese knotweed is a persistent, clump-forming herbaceous perennial. It was introduced to the UK as an ornamental garden plant but has since become an invasive weed subject to legal control measures.

And for Giant Hogweed it states: “Giant hogweed is a very tall and striking relative of cow parsley, found throughout the UK countryside. An invasive plant that poses a serious health risk to people and pets, it should be controlled or removed if it appears in your garden.”