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Flash floods cause chaos

Flooding in Grotton
FLASH floods left a trail of damage across Greater Manchester this weekend.

The heavy downpours caused major problems in Oldham where residents banded together to try to protect their homes, bailing out and trying to create barricades to keep the flood water at bay.

Firefighters were called out to the City of Manchester Stadium after flood water gushed into store rooms, offices and lift shafts.

Manchester's Midland Hotel also suffered damage in the rain with water coming in to one of the rooms from a balcony on the top floor.

In Oldham the areas which suffered the most included Old Lane in Scouthead, Hollin Crescent in Greenfield and Thornley Lane in Grotton.

Events manager Katie Hodson, 28, from Greenview Chase in Grotton said: "It was about 4pm and I had just got home when the rain came down.

"We have a stream running through the back garden and the water started gushing in through the patio doors. I grabbed some towels, but quickly realised they weren't going to stop the water coming in.

"Then the water started coming into the house through the front door and the garage, it was coming in at all angles.

"When I saw a car floating down the street I called the police because I was worried someone may get hurt. They gave me the flood line, but they told me there that they couldn't come out unless I could tell them who owned the stream.

"My husband was outside with sandbags, at points he was up to his waist in water. At about 5pm the rain stopped and the water started to go down. Neighbours came in to help us try to sweep the water out.

"Its not what you expect. That's great British summertime. We had only just decorated so the new carpets have gone, our leather sofa is wet and some of the electrical stuff won't work, but the main thing is that no-one was hurt."

United Utilities engineers got more than 50 call-outs as a result of the weather. The water at the Manchester City ground is thought to have come from open land which had been earmarked for the aborted supercasino.

A spokesman for the fire service said crews had been called out at 8.20pm on Saturday. He said: "Upon arrival the crew was faced with a torrent of flood water running towards and into the East Atrium of the stadium. The fire service attendance was quickly increased to two fire engines.

"Crews used the major pump and a light portable pump to divert the water from within the ground floor of the stadium. At the height of the incident the lift shafts contained over 3 metres of water. Crews were at the incident for approximately 4 hours."

Knowsley Junior School in Stoneleigh Road, Springhead, Oldham was also closed today as a result of the flooding.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: "It was an extremely busy weekend for our engineers due to torrential rain that hit many parts of Greater Manchester."

He said more than 100 million had been invested to boost the capacity of the drains and that more would be invested in the future in a bid to ensure the system was able to cope with the weather.

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I have previously complained to my local council (Trafford) about blocked street drains on some of the main roads around the district. Some even have grass and weeds growing out of them.

Within 30 minutes last Saturday evening the roads on our estate and surrounding areas, including the main roads, were flooded from garden wall to garden wall. The drains were just not accepting water.

Most of it had cleared within a couple of hours of the rain ceasing but why did it not drain away as it fell? Was the entire drainage system unable to cope or was it just that the catch-pots beneath the grids were full and needed cleaning out? None of my neighbours can remember when we last had a visit from the council plunger lorry.

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E'to didn't know he had signed for a water polo club. Hpe he can swim!!

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A few years ago after a heavy downpour my neighbours cellar flooded. The firebrigade found that the street drain outside her house was blocked, she reported this to the council but got no reply. A month later I arrived home to see the grid cleaner working a few doors down from my neighbours, next thing I saw them driving off. They stopped at another grid half way down the street, so I went to ask them if they were doing the one outside my neighbours. The driver ask me the number of the house and I told him 78, he then said 'it's not on my list so I can't do it'. This was a private contractor not the council. That grid still has grass growing out of it.

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"My husband was outside with sandbags, at points he was up to his waist in water''

Expecting good weather then?

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Eastlands flooded aswell, the trophy room was a right mess, luckily the insurance people are going to pay out. There's a cheque for a new carpet on the way!

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It's Spittin!Mam It's Spittin!

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Anyone who has problems with their Council and inaction should complain to their Local Councillor.

Councils are not a law unto themselves. They are there to serve you. A matter that most pay a high and ever increasing sum of money for...

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Well I am sure either Manchester City Council or Manchester City's "sugar daddy "new owners will pay for the flood damage. We can't have the football club paying their own way can we?

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You might get a better reception from council if you ask them to mow the drain.

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