Roof rescue!

CONVOY . . . firefighters and paramedics at the scene yesterday

High drama on old town hall

FIREFIGHTERS carried out a dramatic high-rise mission yesterday to rescue an injured worker from the roof of the old town hall.

Crowds of half-term shoppers gathered on Clegg Street to witness the operation that saw two fire engines and six ambulances called to the scene at about 10.10am.

Workers said a 53-year-old man complained of back pain after lifting a sack of rubble. Stuck on top of the 60ft landmark building, the man was then unable to clamber down the scaffolding ladder.

The injured roofer was forced to take a ride on a fire engine cherrypicker, suspended in the air and strapped to a stretcher. One bystander said: “The place was swarming with ambulances and the road closed off.

“There were so many vehicles there I thought someone might have fallen off the roof.

“Thankfully, I saw the man on the stretcher being lifted down. People were lined up at the bus stop taking pictures and filming the rescue — it was dramatic stuff.”

One ambulance and five vehicles from the HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) were dispatched due to the unusual circumstances of the mission.

The drama unfolded as workers from Aura Construction, a Stockport-based firm, were carrying out structural and roof repairs to the building.

Workmen have been busy weather-proofing the GradeII-listed building as part of £700,000 repair efforts to breathe life into the neglected structure.

Gareth Liddle, projects contract manager, said the ambulance was called for one of their workmen who has existing back problems which developed while on the roof and he did not feel safe coming down without medical assistance.

The man was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital.