Little library set up in memory of tragic Ellen Higginbottom

A little library enabling bookworms to read and swap favourite books has been created in a memorial garden for Winstanley College student Ellen.

The community-run green space now has the borough’s latest example of a neat cabinet crammed with volumes of all types.

The idea came from volunteers Vikki Crompton and Sam Anderton with other helpers at the Greenslate Road garden building the attractive object and making 90 per cent of it from recycled materials.

Vikki said: “This was another way to get the community involved with the garden and promote reading. It also stops books going to landfill.

“We put it on our Facebook page and we’ve had 10,000 people look at it. It has been really well received.

“A couple of books have already been donated and we’re hoping more people will use it as they understand what the scheme is about.

“You don’t have to leave a book to take one but the idea is that it’s an exchange.”

There are books for both adults and children in the little library, with topics ranging from fiction to gardening.

Orrell Book Cycle has also promised to donate some of its paperbacks to keep the shelves well stocked.

A plaque will be installed in the garden once the library is registered. To find out more, search for Ellen Higginbottom’s Memorial Garden on Facebook.