Flood chaos as two weeks’ rain falls in a day

pictures DARREN ROBINSON

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FAILSWORTH’S new £35 million school was closed today after heavy rain flooded two floors.

The school, which opened only four months ago, fell foul of the elements yesterday when the equivalent of two weeks’ rain fell.

This morning its 1,500 pupils were turned away as head teacher David Johnson called an emergency meeting with teachers to brief them on the damage caused by a leaking roof.

He told the Chronicle he hoped the school would reopen on Tuesday. It was already due to be closed on Monday for staff training.

Mr Johnson said: “There has been major water incursion into the building. As soon as we heard, governors and senior managers were on site to ensure minimum damage.

“There has been serious flooding to four classrooms on the upper floor, and a number of offices on both floors.”

Firefighters from Chadderton, Hollins and Phillips Park were called out around 8.30 last night, and joined a team from Oldham Council in removing the water.

A spokesman for Chadderton fire station said the water had been ankle-deep and officers had spent two hours at the school.

The incident was only one of many as parts of the borough were submerged and firefighters battled against flooding.

Oldham was hit by a deluge which saw 36mm of rain fall in one day.

More rain is forecast for Sunday and next week, but the Chronicle’s weatherman, Damian Rodgers, said it would not match the scale of yesterday’s downpours.

He said: “Yesterday was the wettest day of the year so far, and the worst since last June’s floods.”

Oldham Carnival organisers said that despite the weather, this weekend’s event will still go ahead.

Driving rain made road conditions difficult, with motorists forced to negotiate deep water on some roads.

Minor injuries were reported in a collision between a Honda Civic and Renault Clio in Rochdale Road, near the Fairview Inn at the High Crompton - Rochdale boundary.

Parts of the Asda car park, Shaw, were under water, and shoppers had to take off their shoes to wade back to their cars.

In Cotswold Avenue, Shaw, the torrent removed a manhole cover from its frame and a water spout flooded the footpath and driveways.

Over-burdened drains and gulleys cascaded into Church Road, Uppermill, where motorists had to drive through water several inches deep.