Volunteers help victims of flooding

Volunteers from Oldham help clear out some of the homes badly hit by the floods

Volunteers from Oldham have given up their time to aid flood victims across the north of England.

Groups from the borough helped families in Rochdale, Todmorden and Cumbria, as well as some of the surrounding areas.

Business and homes were badly damaged when water flowed through Rochdale after 35.4mm of rain fell in just 12 hours on Boxing Day. Throughout December, Storms Desmond, Eva and Frank battered parts of the North, including Cumbria, where 9,000 properties were flooded.

Among the volunteer group was Sajjad Malik, boss of New Image Carpets in Honeywell Lane, Hathershaw. Last year he was one of dozens of Oldhamers who travelled to the Greek island of Lesbos to help distribute aid to migrants and refugees.

In Cumbria, Sajjad and volunteers from Oldham charity Ghazali Trust worked alongside the local flood rescue service to help clear out people’s homes.

Sajjad said: “Watching the news it made us feel we could play our part as a community. We went to Greece but this is at home — they needed us.

Kashif Hussain, a part-time security guard from Clarksfield, added: “The people were really happy. They offered us tea and really appreciated it. Everyone needs to get together at times like this.”


::DOWNPOURS on Saturday night led to further flooding fears in Oldham. Fire crews from Oldham were called to Kestrel Avenue, in Salem, shortly after 8.30pm after rear gardens flooded due to rising water and blocked drains.

Firefighters were able to unblock the drains and pump away the water before damage was caused to the properties.