Extract from The Bradshaw Flood, 'Other Bradshaw Floods', pages 40-41.
1980
The Bolton Evening News of 23 October 1980 reported torrential flood waters sweeping through Bolton after nearly two inches of rainfall. Bradshaw Road was almost impassable under fast flowing waters, two feet deep in places, which ran down the road towards Lea Gate. Police were present controlling traffic. Workmen were employed to unblock a tunnel under Bradshaw Road at the old works’ gates. Mr Maurice Danials of Bradshaw Road said he ‘had lived on the road for fifty years and had never seen anything like it’.
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| Bradshaw Bridge in 1980 |
1986
Gales and torrential rain lashed the Northwest in the tail end of Hurricane ‘Charlie’ on August 26th, 1986. The blocked tunnel under Lea Gate caused the worst flooding since 1927, resulting in thousands of pounds worth of damage to the cottages and the Conservative Club. The Secretary, Arthur Dargan was called to the club at 7.00 am to find it flooded with three feet of water. The water poured down into the reservoir behind St Maxentius Church and into the cottages of School Row. A number of pumps were brought in to ease the situation while workmen tried to clear the blockage.
A further storm occurred in October 1986. Bradshaw Road was flooded and had to be closed when the tunnel under it collapsed. The deluge swept across Bradshaw Road flooding the garden and kitchen of Bradshaw Hall Farm. Three fire-engines pumped water away for more than three hours.
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| Flood at Lea Gate, August 1986 |
