Crash causes band contest confusion

Photo: Jagoda Mazurkiewicz

FIREFIGHTERS removed the roof of the Nissan Micra to help free a passenger who suffered a broken breastbone in the crash in Springhead

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One injured as collision shuts road

A ROAD accident caused traffic chaos and withdrawals from Saddleworth’s band contests.

A Nissan Micra and VW Golf collided at the junction of Cooper Street and Oldham Road, Springhead, at 4.20pm on Friday.

Both drivers escaped unhurt but a passenger in the Micra suffered a broken breastbone, and was taken to hospital.

But rumours quickly spread that the smash had resulted in a triple fatality, while the knock-on effect on already congested roads affected the contests.

Bill Cullen, parish councillor and organiser of the Lees and Springhead Band Contest, said: “The road was closed and coaches were being diverted away from Lees up to Scouthead.

“People were saying that three people had died and then it was two, some people in Uppermill heard that our contest had been cancelled as a result.

“We had a half hour period where there weren’t any bands playing and we’ve never had that before.

“Last year we had 44 bands playing, which was a bad year because of the weather. This year we only had 41 because bands had heard about the chaos and were skipping our contest. May be now it is time to address the traffic issues at that junction, possibly a speed camera instead of having two in Lees.”

Resident Jagoda Mazurkiewicz (23), who has two young children, said: “I was with the babies when I heard the ambulances so I ran outside.

“It looked absolutely terrible, there was glass all over the floor and people were crying at the side of the road.

“There were police and ambulances everywhere.

“This road is terrible here, cars are always speeding past so fast and it is so dangerous.

“Something needs to be done. I’ve seen other smaller accidents and near misses.”