Littleborough RUFC Clubhouse Protected from Storm Bert Flooding

A rugby union club’s premises were protected from substantial damage by floodwaters, which were caused by Storm Bert, through the combined efforts of the team and local residents. On Saturday afternoon, members of Littleborough RUFC, returning from an away game, found that the Longden End brook had overflowed its banks close to Hollingworth Lake, a reservoir constructed to supply the Rochdale Canal. The club’s car park was already submerged under 2ft (60 cm) of water. However, a strong sense of community and teamwork emerged, enabling players and local volunteers to fortify the clubhouse structure with sandbags, thereby safeguarding it from the encroaching floodwaters. This inundation resulted from intense precipitation during the storm, exacerbated by melting snow originating from the moorland situated above the adjacent M62 motorway. David Kearns, who serves as the director of Rugby at Littleborough Sports Club, characterized the community’s response as “brilliant.” This commendation followed a social media appeal that prompted numerous local volunteers to arrive at the club and assist the players in their protective actions. “We had nearly 2ft of water in the car park – it pushed all of the gravel onto the pitch, which we had to remove on Sunday. “We had a little bit of damage into our gymnasium, but luckily we saved it. “It really showed a sense of community spirit within the club.” The Longden End brook, which passes beneath the M62 motorway before emptying into Hollingworth Lake, overflowed its banks at a bridge situated near Littleborough Sports Club. During the weekend, the Environment Agency issued a total of seven Flood Alerts and 20 Flood Warnings across the regions of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire. Dave Goodwin, representing the Environment Agency, stated: “Our teams worked round the clock across Greater Manchester to monitor the situation, warn communities at risk, and carry out operational activity to reduce the risk of flooding”.