Flooding misery for shopkeepers

SHOPKEEPERS have been mopping up after a torrent of water flooded their businesses.
But they were open as usual after the spectacular mains burst on Huddersfield Road near Hill Stores.

The water rushed downhill and round the corner into a row of properties on Ripponden Road at around 6pm on Monday

It reached 2ft deep in the cellar of Bill Harrison’s butcher’s shop and he said: “The fire brigade began pumping everything round the back and down the sides. If they hadn’t done that it would have been 3ft or 4ft deep.

“It happened just before I left. The gullies were taking it at first, but after about 10-15 minutes it was too much. It was coming down the slip road and we were awash.

“The traffic made it worse and the police should have shut the road. They were allowing the traffic to come through and it was just shovelling the water over in waves.”

Police said a 100-metre section of the main pipe was affected and an eye-witness saw the water rip the pavement. Around 600 properties were left without water until 7.45pm.

The cellar of the dog-grooming parlour on Huddersfield Road was also flooded and owner Fred Townson said: “The problem are the gullies outside. They are not cleaned as they should be.”

Harry Lloyd managed to stop the water flooding his home and said: “If I hadn’t put the boards in front of my door it would have come in. I was lucky to be honest.”

But the cellar at Rhino’s Gym was flooded and worker Darren Hays said: “Everyone was just rushing about trying to stop the water — it was just flowing in. We used sandbags and tyres.”