Firebugs strike at school site

Arsonists have set a fire at the disused Shaw Pallet Works earmarked for the new £19million Saddleworth School.

Emergency services were alerted to the Diggle factory after part of the first floor was set alight on Friday. Police are now investigating the incident.

Newly-elected Saddleworth parish councillor, Keith Lucas, said: “This is the second incident of vandalism at the works in the last few months. The site itself is mired in controversy because of the school issue and I would ask the site owners and Oldham Council to protect the site with more robust security. They have a duty to make it safe and secure.”

Villagers have been without the sounds of the iconic chiming clock in the mill tower since May, when the mechanism was vandalised.

After spending more than an hour at the scene, a spokesman for site owners WRT revealed there had been several additional break-ins and damage caused to empty buildings at the 22-acre site in recent months.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800-555 111.