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Blown away
Reporter: LEWIS JONES
Date online: 09 December 2011
200 homes without power - trees uprooted - roof ripped from rugby union clubhouse
FEROCIOUS gales left 200 homes without power and tore the roof off Oldham Rugby Union’s clubhouse yesterday.
Relentless winds caused havoc as the borough battled heavy downpours throughout the day.
A giant tree between Delph and Denshaw wiped out cables when it came crashing to the ground, with Electricity Northwest reporting loss of power at around 11am.
Concerned resident Patrick Dawson feared that live electricity wires had come to rest close to a footpath after examining the scene close to his home in New Barn.
He said: “The tree was absolutely huge, it was quite a sight. It seemed to stretch out across half a near-by field. It had taken the cables out and they were lying close to the footpath — it was a worry.”
Most of the 200 homes in Delph and Dobcross had their power restored before 4pm.
Gales had reached 43mph by 1.13pm but stronger, more isolated gusts did most of the damage.
Members of Oldham Rugby Union Club witnessed the true power of nature as the clubhouse roof took flight. The blasts created devastation at Manor Park in Bardsley, though no one was injured. The club had only recently been extensively refurbished.
Head groundsman Alan Hollingsworth had a near miss as the fibre glass roof came to land in the car park. He said: “I’d just nipped out and I got a call from someone saying the roof was in the car park. It just looked like there had been a plane crash or something. I couldn’t believe it. The whole roof had just peeled right off and had been dumped in the car park.”
The team turned off the club’s power supply and frantically tried to put buckets under leaks. A specialist roofing firm later erected sheeting to make the building watertight.
The club is already determined to bounce back from the incident in time for a packed weekend of Christmas parties. Alan added: “I think it’s going to be all hands on deck to get the place ready.”
Oldham should see some respite today. Although scattered wintry showers are forecast — as well as fresh westerly winds in the region of 15mph — nothing should reach the scale witnessed yesterday.
Comments
"typhoons, tropical storms, massive flooding and landslides..." And tell me again, dramaphilippines, just why did you choose to leave these shores?
Hello Shaun! Did I say anything derogatory about the UK? So, what's the point of the question? I was simply stating that in terms of bad weather it's much worse here. As for leaving the UK I was offered a job working for the government in Singapore and accepted it but (on my first day there) met a lady from the Philippines and we eventually married. Having visited her country and met her family and friends it was decided that we would move there to live. No regrets but I will always love the UK.
Probably for the same reason I did 30 years ago. To get away from Oldham. The town was going downhill then. It was never a pretty town to live but it was a nice town to live in. Not any more. The approach to the town centre from the M60 looks like the road into Tripoli. Sad.
Rather sarcastic comment Mr McGrath. You say 'Tell me again......'. Where has dramaphilippines actually said anything about that in the first place? It seems to me that the comment about the weather is quite straightforward. Have you tried 'Specsavers'?
For the sake of clarification, my comment was meant as a bit of light-humour (apologies to those who didn't quite get this).
Have Your Say
Bad news re the weather over there BUT I have to say it's nothing to what you get over here. I used to think the weather in the UK was awful but having experienced typhoons, tropical storms, massive flooding and landslides, amongst other things, and they are not 'a pretty sight', I know it gets off quite lightly. I hope everything over there gets 'back to normal' soon. Merry Christmas from 'The Philippines'.
By dramaphilippines @ 10/12/2011 01:10:20