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'Rain just kept on coming'

Ailsa Cranna
31/ 1/2008

IT LOOKED as if they had weathered the storm, but Radcliffe residents were soon bailing out as last week’s floods damaged their houses.

Earlier in the week damage appeared to be limited to flooded gardens, with the levels stopping short of people’s front doors.

But after the Advertiser went to press on Wednesday evening (January 23), the rain went on, the floods continued and started to invade people’s homes.

At the height of the flooding a total of 50 homes were flooded and without power in the Withins Avenue and Rigby Avenue areas of Radcliffe, and Bury council’s emergency planning team had to ask the public to find an alternative route to Bury Road as it was closed.

Dennis Griffiths had to take up the floorboards in his sitting room in Blenmar Close, Radcliffe after water seeped through the front door. Elsewhere, up to 12 houses in Withins Avenue, Rigby Avenue, and, again Blenmar Close were ankle-deep in water.

Metrolink services continued to be disrupted on Thursday and replacement buses were put on to take passengers between Bury and Whitefield, while trams ran as normal from Whitefield into Manchester.

Michael Renshaw, GMPTE’s interim service delivery director, said: "We decided not to run Metrolink services between Bury and Whitefield as a precaution due to extensive flooding near to the line."

Metrolink services were running to Bury again on Friday, although passengers were being advised to leave extra time for their journeys because of a temporary speed restriction on the line.

Fire fighters spent two days desperately pumping water from flooded streets and council staff provided thousands of sandbags to prevent further damage to homes.

Parts of Bury Road, Radcliffe, were also sealed off on Thursday, causing rush hour commuter chaos.

Many residents were forced to take emergency action to safeguard their property and one pregnant woman was carried from her home to safety.

Others waded through the ankle-deep water while wearing their Wellington boots and parents were carrying children shoulder high.

Traffic heading along Bury Road from Bury was diverted down Eton Hill Road.

Click on the video window for Channel M's report ...