PEOPLE in Stalybridge are left picking up the pieces after a freak storm, that may have been a tornado, caused chaos.
Rooves were blown off homes or damaged by falling trees as people were evacuated, with Millbrook and Carrbrook the worst affected areas.
Elderly people are said to have dug their way out of their homes as trees fell very close to them.
Gable ends collapsed, slates and lead flashing were left scattered across roads, cars were damaged and property left with windows missing after 10 minutes of carnage late on Wednesday, December 27.
A major incident was declared after what was described as a ‘localised tornado.’
And as the morning after revealed the true extent of the damage, the clean-up operation has begun with everyone doing their bit.
Emergency services put up cordons on Calico Crescent in Carrbrook, at Grenville Street in Millbrook and closed the main Huddersfield Road as a tree outside Active Copley was visibly cracking.
Tameside Council workers attended to the dozens of fallen trees, some of which damaged properties in Millbrook while others had branches literally land at their doorstep.
And the local community is getting together to make sure everyone is safe and well. The main feeling, though, is one of bemusement – with one question summing up what took place at about 11pm.
What happened?
Dominic Halpin found his house affected by what is described as a ‘supercell’ swept from the town centre, where a building was damaged while people inside the neighbouring Society Rooms pub looked on, to Carrbrook.
He was relieved his property was not as badly hit as others but he told The Correspondent: “It was like a freight train came through.
“It was about 30 seconds of unbearable noise and that was it. I’d never seen anything like that myself. You see these things on videos from America but not in Stalybridge.
“For me, it’s no too bad – a few tiles have gone and a little bit of the top of the roof is damaged.
“But it’s nothing compared to when you look around the rest of the estate.
“Some people aren’t able to stay there at all as there’s so much roof damage and from that, a lot of car damage and garden damage – I’d never seen wheelie bins fly that high.
“There were people out in the night with their pets in little pet boxes. This was at about 1.30am and they were trying to work out where to go as they have to leave because their houses aren’t safe.
“I feel for everyone, especially with the winter coming and the snow that’s been predicted.
“Everyone’s pulling together but there was still a bit of humour. As we were walking around, a guy goes, ‘Has anybody seen my wheelie bin?’
“But the blessing was that it happened at night, when there were no kids on the street. If any had been when that happened, we would’ve had a lot more emergency vehicles on the scene.”
Further down Huddersfield Road in Millbrook, properties were damaged, with one home clearly having been clipped by a tree and a wall at Millbrook Care Home collapsing.
Cheryl Davenport, who lives on Cambridge Terrace with daughter Madison, said: “The back is a mess. We’ve slates in the garden and next door’s chimney is hanging off, so is our satellite dish.
“I backed away from the window thinking that was going to come through.
“Trees fell right up to the house and landed on ones further up. I can’t believe how close they came and my car bonnet and roof are dented from lead landing on it after it was blown from houses.”
Rebecca Mayers, who lives on Grenville Street, added: “You couldn’t see anything, at all. The rain sounded like someone was throwing nails at the window. My daughter was scared.
“A car at the end of the street has been left trashed and another woman has seen hers completely trashed too. We consider ourselves very lucky.”
Now the ‘tornado’ has passed through, thoughts turn to what happens now?
Cheryl added: “We’ve just got to clear up, get the roofers out and that’s all we can do, get over the shock.”
In Carrbrook, Dominic stated: “Everyone’s got to do the local sweep up but then we’re going to have to get on to the insurers.
“But that could take months and with winter coming in, I feel for people – it’s supposed to be quite bad this time too.
“After things like the Beast from the East and the moorland fires that came very close, fingers crossed that’s it for us for another couple of decades.”