ASTLEY residents celebrate the year 2000 on Saturday with the opening of a new Millennium Green, a self-made wildlife pasture for the community.

It is one of just 25 granted in the north west, and the only one in Wigan borough.

And the former landfill site has been secured as a village recreation area which will belong to future generations for another 999 years.

Villagers who formed the Whitehead Hall Meadow group have succeeded in developing the former 20 acres landfill site thanks to a £35,000 lottery grant and additional funding.

And on June 10 at 1pm the villagers are invited to join in opening activities like willow weaving, bat and bird box making, bug hunting, watching a bird of prey display and wild flower planting.

Before the last war the land was used as a play area by miners' families and villagers. During the war it was taken over by Astley Green colliery for the storing of stocks and then left to nature when the pit closed.

In 1996 Viridor, then Terry Adams Ltd, licensee of the Whitehead landfill, promised to make some land available as a recreation site. It was bought with the lottery donation and landfill tax was donated to help with work.

Chairman of the WHM Committee, Betty Townsend, said: "We have worked very hard for the past two years planting 2000 bog plants and 2000 trees, and creating a footpath and bridge across to the canal.

"Now everyone is invited to come and see the beauty spot that has been created for them."