Mercury drops to minus 7

SMILING Nordic Walkers take on the snow with leader Alan Keane (far left)

OLDHAM shivered as temperatures plunged to minus 7 degrees celsius overnight but escaped more snow.

Schools were expected to open this morning after scores had to close their doors due to adverse weather last week.

Twenty six primary schools were closed on Thursday and two on Friday but they are due to reopen this morning.

The Radclyffe School, Hunt Lane, Chadderton, is listed for an early home-time today at 1.10pm due to the outside area being unsafe but only a 20-minute break will be taken so pupils can still study for four out of five periods.

Chronicle weatherman Damian Rodgers said we’ve seen the worst of the snow — for the time being.

He added: “We might have a little bit of snow tonight but only a sprinkling, which might still be around tomorrow.

“Other than that it will be generally cold, foggy, icy and frosty up until Thursday and then it will get warmer again like the run-up to last weekend.

Then it will get colder again over the weekend.”


Walking in a winter wonderland
A GROUP of walkers in Saddleworth didn’t worry about the weather as they took part in a two-mile trek through Uppermill.

Wrapping up warm and with plenty of help from specialist poles, the Nordic Walking Group would not let a little snow get in their way of a fun day out.

The walkers made their way from the Brownhill Countryside Centre to Greenfield.

Leader Alan Keane said: “Our numbers have grown and we had the best walk of the year.

“Everybody seemed to be struggling, cars were bumper to bumper but we were speeding along.”

The club meets at Saddleworth Pool every Wednesday at 9.45am. It costs £3.95 with poles provided.