Smashing climax for BBC TV drama series

Impact’s Dave Lynch with Waterloo Road cast members, Eva Pope & Neil Morrissey.

The hugely popular TV series Waterloo Road went out with a bang last week, when the final scenes of series four were filmed at Hilltop School.

The scene involved a runaway digger and filming represented a significant Health & Safety challenge.

Expressing his gratitude for all the help they’ve received from Impact and Rochdale Council, Location Manager at Shed Productions, James Muirhead said: “The Impact Partnership has been an important part of our time at the school. The running of the school was always going to be a difficult task due to the age of the building. However, Nigel Macdonald and his team were always available to help us overcome the maintenance problems.

“Our final scenes of series four involved a new challenge and an impossible task for us to achieve on our own without the advice and co-operation offered to us by David Lynch and Bob Gregory and The Partnership helped us shoot these scenes safely and efficiently."

The Kirkholt school is one of over 40 locations used across the Borough in four years of filming, during which time the producers at SHED estimate that they have invested in excess of £1m directly into the local economy.

Commenting on the demolition of the front of the school, Nigel Macdonald, Account Manager (Disposals): “Following limited demolition of one of the entrances to the school by specialist pyrotechnic contractors, Shed Productions will ensure that the damaged part of the building is made safe and will board it off to prevent un-authorised access pending demolition of the whole for Housing Market Renewal purposes.”