Winter bites back

Snow chaos at Platting Road

OLDHAM is recovering today after an Arctic blast left vehicles stranded in 8ft snow drifts while gales ripped the roofs off garages and uprooted trees.

The borough shivered to a halt yesterday as winter returned in April with a chilling bite to bring havoc to the roads.

The 8ft snow drifts blocked roads over higher ground with the Oldham Mountain Rescue Team (OMRT) called out to a number of serious incidents and dramatic rescues.

They dug out more than 20 drivers — and a snow plough — including rescuing a man in his 70s and his dog when his car got trapped in a snow drift in Brighton Road, Austerlands.

They freed the pair who then stayed with a neighbour for the rest of the day.

The team then helped evacuate a family who’s farmhouse had been affected by the ferocious winds.

Emergency services were called into action to take care of a number of incidents during a morning of traffic chaos.

There was a collision between two vehicles on Huddersfield Road, Scouthead - at the junction of Platting Road - at 7.10am with a man then struck by another vehicle as he got out of his car. OMRT helped paramedics reach him and he was taken to hospital with suspected back and leg injuries.

In Royton the strong winds saw a row of garage roofs torn off at the Thorp Estate with exposed bricks tumbling to the floor. Fallen trees blocked roads, including at the Coverhill Road junction in Grotton and two in Rhodes Bank in the town centre, while there were a number of traffic-related incidents on the M62 amidst dangerous conditions.

The chaos came just a week after Oldham basked in March record-breaking warm temperatures.

Oldham Council revealed gritters were out in preparation for the wintry blast - especially in the Saddleworth, Lees and Shaw areas.

More than 1,000 residents experienced power cuts in the Greenfield and Shaw areas from 8.40am, yesterday morning.

An Electricity North West spokeswoman announced most of those affected by the outtage were back with power by 1pm. Ninety properties in Shaw were expected to be back on last night.
The full version of this story can be seen in our print and eChron editions