A CANADIAN tourist who spent just one week in Leigh and Atherton branded the towns "disgusting" in a scathing attack on the area.

Former Leigh rugby player Jim Hindley, who emigrated from Leigh to Calgary in 1968, said he was amazed at the amount of litter in the area.

And he pleaded to residents: "Be proud of your towns and try to get them clean."

The 59-year-old believes there is too much filth, paper, cans , bottles and dog dirt littering the towns.

He said people in Canada never drop rubbish on the floor and dog owners carry plastic bags to clear up their pet's mess.

But in only seven days visiting friends in Leigh and Atherton he claimed he constantly had to dodge fish and chip wrappers and dog dirt.

He said: "I wasn't able to look at any buildings in the two towns because I was so busy looking down on the sidewalk hoping I wouldn't walk into any litter. It disgusted me. There's no comparison of cleanliness between my home town in Canada and Leigh.

"I used to play rugby for Leigh so I thought I'd go and look at the ground. I was amazed at the amount of rubbish thrown on derelict land in the area. It's absolutely awful."

Mr Hindley moved to Canada for work when he was 26. He said: "Attitudes are so much better here. People genuinely care for their town. They wouldn't dream of leaving dog dirt around, that's for sure."