THE leader of the Labour group has launched a scathing attack after Conservative Party election leaflets were scattered across streets in Trafford.

The leaflets are promoting Conservative-run Trafford Council and it candidates in the May 3 local elections.

The leader of the Labour group, Cllr Andrew Western, posted a video showing some of the discarded leaflets strewn along one street.

He said: “This is bang out of order, adding to the litter problem they’ve already made worse.

“This is the same across hundreds of properties in Trafford today, Tory leaflets thrown at residents’ doors. I have picked up many now loose in the street.”

Resident Sarah Haughey said: “On Saturday evening my partner and I were going out and noticed 50-plus leaflets on the roads between our house and the party we were attending a five minute walk away.

“I have to say I’m horrified at the disdain shown to the people of Stretford.

"I personally volunteer for litter pick as part of Friends of Victoria Park and also Stretford in Bloom. I’m so angry that our streets are full of leaflets that should have been posted.”

Another Stretford resident, Shelly Quinton-Hulme, contacted the Messenger to say: “I was really cross when I walked down Pinnington Lane in Stretford on Saturday afternoon and saw leaflets from the Conservative Party all over the pavements.

"Later I also saw them all down Jackson Street and School Road. As someone who has leafleted in the past, it really made me angry that they showed so little regard to actually posting the leaflets through the letterboxes and cared so little for the mess it caused.

Trafford Council decided in January to take a "tougher stand" against environmental crime by increasing its capacity to issue fines for people who litter or illegally dump their waste by employing officers to carry out street patrols in both Old Trafford and Stretford, with on the spot fines for offenders of £80.

Cllr Sean Anstee, Conservative leader on Trafford Council, said: “An issue was identified with delivery of a small number of flyers in Stretford this weekend, which detailed positive news of investment in roads and highways and the significant progress towards implementation of the Refreshed Stretford Masterplan.

“However, following delivery through a letter box of a flyer one of our volunteers felt verbally intimidated as the flyer was aggressively returned to them and rather than making the correct decision to cease delivery, decided to continue, but only placing the flyer on the doorstep rather than posting through the actual door.

"No flyers were placed in the street.

“Upon notification of the issue, our candidate returned to the area that same evening and removed any flyers they were able to find.”