Heavy rain brings more flooding to Saddleworth

Rivers, roads and drains across Saddleworth struggled to cope as one month’s rain fell in twenty four hours.

Many of the roads in Saddleworth became water courses today as drains became overwhelmed with large volumes of rainwater. Local rivers and streams threatened to breach their banks forcing residents and businesses in low lying areas to take precautions against flooding. On Delph New Road, Dobcross, the owners of Cop Security placed sandbags across the entrance to their property in an attempt to stop a repeat of the flooding they experienced last month.

Well-I-Hole Road, Greenfield was closed because the River Tame had burst it’s banks and the A62 below Standedge was, in places, completely swamped with rainwater run-off. Carr Lane, Diggle, which was only recently re-opened, was closed as water washed away the newly laid surface exposing a gas main.

The Met Office say the unseasonal conditions result from the ‘jet stream’ lying much further south than normal and their forecast models do not, currently, suggest when this will change. The forecast for the next few days is for rain but it is not expected to be as intense.

For more detailed weather information click here.