GIANT hogweed is returning alongside Bolton s waterways, with people being urged to stay away from the plant. The invasive plant can be found along the rivers Tonge and Croal, and has been spotted in Leverhulme Parka and Moses Gate Country Park. It can take up to two years to grow, spread up to 100,000 seeds and can reach a height of 18 feet. Contact with the plant can cause severe burns and blisters, which are extremely sensitive to the sun for years, and can cause blindness if it comes into contact with eyes. Chris Banks, a volunteer for Bolton NEWT, reveals how you can identify the plant. He said: It can be easy to misidentify the plant with our native hogweed or cow parsley. As it is part of the carrot family it shares the same traits such as the white umbrella-shaped flower head.