Blown away
Reporter: LEWIS JONES
Date published: 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.
