Heavens open as rain floods in

LIGHTNING strike . . . on Oldham Road, Lydgate

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LAST night's violent storm caused damage to houses and cars while transport links ground to a halt across Manchester.

Several drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles in Salmon Fields, Royton ­- one of the areas worst hit in Oldham.

Firefighters were alerted to several incidents, including a driver who had swerved into a ditch after hitting flood water.

Oldham water manager Phil Courtnell said: "We were called out to the top of Saddleworth moor. The driver had hit flood water, gone off the road and ended up in a ditch.

"The police were there and the car was sunk in mud and water. To avoid hitting oncoming traffic he had swerved off the road."

Crews arrived just before 9.30pm to the incident on the A635 Holmfirth Road where the man in his 30s had escaped from the vehicle.

A firefighter from Chadderton said: "There were a lot of properties affected by failing electrics and roads were shut off.

"We were called to a person stuck in water where a car had gone through a huge amount of water but they had managed to drive out of it before we arrived."

Flights were delayed to and from Manchester Airport and train services between Manchester Piccadilly and the airport were also affected. Trams also ground to a halt when lightning struck down three electricity sub-stations.

Passengers were stuck on the Metrolink system and plunged into darkness.

Manchester City's Champions League clash with Borussia Monchengladbach had to be rescheduled for tonight due to the flooded Etihad pitch.

Asda in Ashton was evacuated, while shops in the city centre, including Harvey Nichols, had to be closed.

Engineers worked through the night to repair the damage caused, with Metrolink services restored at 5.30am.

Strikes

A spokesman said: "The strikes, which hit locations across the network, affected power to critical signalling systems as well as the overhead lines used to power trams and the Altrincham and Bury lines were both suspended for the evening.

"Services will operate on all lines this morning, although there may be some minor delays while engineers continue to address the remaining damage."

The fire service was called to an incident in which lightning was initially thought to have struck a vehicle in Hill Farm Close, Fitton Hill, at 7.45pm.

Hollinwood fire crew manager Mark Outhwaite said: "The car was fully ablaze and had knocked down two lamp posts. We realised it had been set alight and was not a lightning strike. The circumstances are suspicious."