VIDEO: Litter-plagued "Black Hole of Goldthorpe" reopens as public nature reserve

Vicky Cuming (pictured) was at the official opening last Friday of Goldthorpe Railway Cuttings, which is now a community park and nature reserve.

Until three years ago, it was a “wasteland” littered with rubbish (see below) but the Goldthorpe “black hole” is now a green oasis.

Vicky said: “There’s a lot going on — there’s wildlife, the Class of 2019 plaques children have done, seating areas, a little waterfall and interpretation board of how the story has gone so far.

“I would love for people to come down to the embankment and have a look and experience it for themselves.”

Dearne Area Council Team set up the Railway Embankment Group to co-ordinate volunteers in clearing the rubbish and creating new public spaces, including a picnic area, an orchard, bedding boxes, a weatherboard, a compost heap and bird viewing platform.

Each volunteer group and local service or school has been assigned an area of the cuttings to use and maintain.

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey said: “Opening this new community park is a red-letter day for the Dearne and a huge tribute to the commitment of dozens of local people who’ve done the graft to transform the old railway embankment in Goldthorpe. 

“So many people have lent a hand and backed the project. 

“It’s a stand-out achievement in this time of government funding cuts which shows the solidarity and strong community there’s always been over the decades in Goldthorpe.”