GREEN could soon be turning to gold for urban rangers Cath and Derek Lomas.

The Lilford Park-based couple (pictured) have been spearheading a campaign which could see Wigan Council being named the country's Greenest Council.

Their work has already pitched Wigan Council into the top 12 of the Green Apple Environment Awards with the guarantee of a top prize.

"Now they only have to wait for the prizegiving ceremony to discover just how successful they have been - and to see if they have won the overall title of Britain's greenest council," said an awards spokesman.

The top prize is an environemntal study trip for two to Nova Scotia.

So far, Cath and Derek's seven year green mission has seen them cover a wide range of activities.

One of the proudest has been involving upwards of 400 young people in their work.

Some yougsters had previously been vandalising local parks and facilties. Now they are helping renovate leisure areas.

"We are no longer having the amount of trouble in parks and some youngsters are asking to come an join us in the work we are doing," said Cath.

Soon the volunteers will be formally recognised as the Junior Rangers with their own uniform.

The couples' work has been focussed on an area from Golborne through to Boothstown, with volunteers coming from throughout the borough.

"We are being encouraged more and more in our work as other initiatives take-off throughout the Borough. Everyone has a part to play from young to old.

"We are managing to touch all the community with this work," said Cath.

Projects started by the couple have included:

community bulb planting

community clean-ups

planting mature root-balled trees, using Derek's knowledge of foresting

training entrants for the Youth Mountain Challenge

opening-up and clearing footpaths

encouraging poeple to use local facilties to reduce the need to use cars.

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