Road reopens for rushcart festival

Richard Hankinson (right) and his team make final preparations for this weekend’s festival

A utility giant has kept its promise to temporarily reopen a key road for one of Saddleworth’s most colourful festivals.

United Utilities says Church Road, Uppermill — closed for months due to a £1 million sewer-replacement scheme — is likely to reopen permanently early next month.

A single lane of the road will open at 4pm today to allow Saddleworth Morris Men’s rushcart to take pride of place at its annual festival this weekend. The road will remain open over the weekend then close from 7.30am on Tuesday to allow work to continue. Peermanent reopen is likely from September 12.

The rushcart’s trip up Church Road to St Chad’s Church takes place on Sunday. The two-ton cart will be pulled by Saddleworth Morris Men, who this year celebrate their 40th anniversary, supported by 26 guest morris sides from across the UK.