Spirit of Oldham heartens police chief

Snow patrol . . . PC Alan Perkins and PCSO Christine Gee on duty in Foxdenton Park, Chadderton

Police are calling on the public to pull together as Oldham suffers some of its worst weather for a generation.

Officers say commuters should take public transport where possible and avoid traffic congestion on roads that are safe to drive on.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: “I have been heartened by the way many residents have reacted, doing everything they can to get into work and keep their businesses and services running.

“I would continue to ask for that same spirit as the wintry conditions persist.

“With the vast majority of public transport routes open, I would encourage people to do what they can to get into work so we can return to some sort of normality.

“This is a time when everyone can pull together. If you have an elderly neighbour, take some time to visit them and make sure they have everything they need.

“A little bit of community spirit will go a long way towards getting everything back to normal.”

Chronicle weatherman Damian Rodgers said after last week’s record lows of -11.7C, temperatures had been a lot warmer over the weekend — the lowest being -3C (27F) in the early hours of Saturday.

He added: “There may be more snow in the hills, it’s quite snowy in Saddleworth at the moment, but the rest will see sleet or rain and it will slowly melt as the week goes on.

“Temperatures will stay just above freezing throughout the week as the snow slowly thaws.”