Huddersfield Road, Newhey turned into a river

Date published: 24 April 2014

A torrent of water was sent cascading down Huddersfield Road in Newhey this morning (24 April) when workmen piling sheets of metal into the ground at Ogden to support a new retaining wall are believed to have hit a water main.

Workmen on site said they believed they had hit a water main, and this has now been officially confirmed.

The water gushed all the way from Ogden down through Newhey and washed a pile of rocks, stones and debris down the road.

A torrent of water cascading down Huddersfield Road, Newhey

Workmen were clearing the larger rocks and it is understood a sweeper was on its way to clean up the road at the time of publication.

A spokesperson for Rochdale Borough Council said: “We are working with United Utilities to quickly isolate the leak but expect no loss of water supply to residents.

"The road remains open but we ask motorists to take care as the road may be slippery.”

A spokesperson for United Utilities said: "The issue was reported to us this morning just before 10.00am - the damaged pipe is causing poor water pressure for a handful of local households.

"We have a repair team on site and they aim to get supplies restored later this afternoon."

A torrent of water cascading down Huddersfield Road from Ogden to Newhey

The site of the retaining wall work at Ogden with water flooding onto Huddersfield Road

A workman wades towards machinery part submerged by water at the site of the retaining wall work at Ogden

Piles of rocks, stones and debris were washed down Huddersfield Road