Saddleworth News

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Reporting Team

Ruby Anstee - Editor
Stuart Littleford - Reporter
Allan Roach - Reporter
George Wilson - Reporter and IT
Judith Grinter - Reporter

Past Articles

BELINDA CARLISLE back on the road with ‘Heaven 30th Anniversary’ UK Tour

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

American singer Belinda Carlisle announces she’s back on the road with a very special UK tour this Autumn with the ‘Heaven 30th Anniversary Tour’ in October 2017 performing a selection of tracks taken from her solo album ‘Heaven On Earth’.

Belinda will perform tracks from the classic album ‘Heaven On Earth’ along with impressive back catalogue of material including personal favourites. Fans won’t be disappointed.

Born on 17 August 1958, Belinda rose to fame in the early […]

Community day bonanza on Sunday

borough.

Reporter: Ken Bennett

A GALAXY of diverse and interesting options to tempt Saddleworth residents to immerse themselves in the community go on show this weekend.

The special “Its your community - get involved!” call to action begins at 11am on Sunday at Uppermill civic hall.

The event is spearheaded by Saddleworth Parish councillor Jamie Curley and supported by Christine Wilson and Jane Soriente, from the Saddleworth and Lees district team.

The exciting showcase will give more than 30 […]

Oldham restaurant fined £12,000 for food hygiene breaches

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

Oldham Council has successfully prosecuted an Oldham restaurant after inspectors found an uncontrolled cockroach infestation and poor cleaning standards.

The case was brought against Mavi Royton Ltd after Environmental Health officers visited Istanblue, 28 Rochdale Road, Royton, on 2 November 2016.

During their visit officers found that adequate procedures were not in place to control pests and the food premises had not been kept clean or maintained in good repair and condition.

German cockroaches were found in […]

Helicopter used to bring moors blaze under control

Fire is put out

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

A helicopter was used by firefighters yesterday afternoon to help bring a large moors blaze under control in Saddleworth.

The fire on moors above Dovestone Reservoir in Greenfield was difficult to access for the fire service.

At around 4pm fire engines from Oldham, Chadderton, Stalybridge and Mossley along with a wildfire unit from Stalybridge and a command unit from Hyde attended the blaze.

The helicopter takes water form Dovestone Reservoir

Firefighters […]

Moorland fires endangered local wildlife and livestock

Fire near Dovestones - photo Rebecca Lyons

Reporters: Stuart Littleford and Ken Bennett

These dramatic pictures highlight the fury and frustration of farmers and conservationists battling to protect a major beauty spot.

James Crowther, whose the family have farmed 5,000 acres of rugged moorland for generations, tackled the blaze with student Luke Harrison assisted by an elderly neighbour.

It was the second fire, believed to have been started by children, which caused chaos on hillsides above Greenfield on Saturday.

[…]

Man dies after car collides with lamp post on Greenacres Road

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

A man has died following a collision in Oldham.

At around 2.10pm on Wednesday 22 March 2017 police were called to Greenacres Road, Oldham, to reports of a collision where a blue Porsche Boxster had collided with a lamp post.

A 42-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries and sadly died.

A 46-year-old man fled the scene but was soon traced by police who arrested him on suspicion of causing death by […]

Pedalling into the Spring

Story sponsored by B J Framing of Springhead

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

As winter lifts, Saddleworth Clarion are looking forward to their busiest year yet with two up and coming events. All the while the club will continue to run weekly road rides for experienced cyclists, a monthly social ride for those who less confident and Mountain Bike rides for all abilities. With club road rides departing from Java Bar in Uppermill and Mountain Bike rides departing from the Police […]

Donations flood in for truly amazing teacher

Mr Atack - sadly passed away a few days ago

Story sponsored by Olympic Construction Ltd: www.olympic-construction.co.uk

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

If you went to Saddleworth School then you are likely to remember the character that was Mr Atack!

A truly inspirational man and superb teacher who touched so many lives in so many ways, wether that was his amazing fun science lessons or his booming voice or maybe even sitting outside his office when he had caught you […]

Community banking secured for Saddleworth

Cllr Jamie Curley (left) and the NatWest Saddleworth Team

Story sponsored by Wainwright Stump Removal: www.wainwrightstumpremoval.co.uk

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

Following the recent announcement of the closure of Saddleworth’s last remaining high street bank branch Parish Councillor Jamie Curley has moved to secure Community Banking for Saddleworth residents.

Councillor Curley has been working with the regional team from NatWest on a plan which will see both counter transactions and personal banking services retained in Uppermill.

The plan will involve […]

Questions ‘remain unanswered’ over man’s death near Dovestone

David Lytton had travelled form London to Saddleworth

Reporter: Stuart Littleford - Story sponsored by Olympic Construction Ltd www.olympic-construction.co.uk

A coroner recorded an open verdict on the death of David Lytton yesterday, a man who had travelled from London to Saddleworth walked up a desolate track leading to Indian’s Head in Greenfield and then took rat poison.

Mr Lytton’s body was discovered fully clothed on a remote track near the summit of Indian’s Head on December 12, 2015.

[…]

Debbie slams Home Office’s ‘systemic failures’ that cost Saddleworth woman her ‘dream job’

Iryna and her husband Matt

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

‘Systemic failures’ by the Home Office in processing Saddleworth resident Iryna O’Reilly’s UK Spouse Visa have caused her to lose out on her dream job.

Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, raised Iryna’s case in Parliament by making a Point of Order and asking the Speaker to advise her on how the Home Office could be held to account for taking five months to resolve a process that […]

New book to be published in memory of the late Alan Petford

Alan Petford

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

This spring a new book will be published in memory of the late Alan Petford.

‘History in the South Pennines: the Legacy of Alan Petford’ will examine a thousand years of life in the upland communities of Saddleworth, Marsden and the Calder Valley.

Alan, a distinguished historian and much admired local history lecturer, died in 2015.

He was a former student of Hulme Grammar and a founder member of the Saddleworth Historical Society. Having […]

Saddleworth School plans ruled unlawful by High Court

SDAG spokesperson, Keith Lucas

Reporter: Stuart Littleford

Oldham Council will now have to rethink their plans to build a new Saddleworth School in Diggle after a High Court ruled they were unlawful.

The school case was taken to the Royal Courts of Justice in London by the Save Diggle Action Group (SDAG) after a long fought campaign and financial backing from various sympathetic donors.

SDAG had always claimed the plans to move the school to Diggle were flawed and […]

Shaw firm ordered to pay more than £158,000 following prosecution

A Shaw company has been ordered to pay more than £158,000 after it was prosecuted by Oldham Council for breaching health and safety at work legislation.

The incident occurred on Monday, 6 July, 2015 at James Dunkerley Steels Limited (JDS Ltd), Holyrood Sidings.

The company had taken delivery of a mixed load of steel beams on a flatbed wagon and three men were unloading.

It was decided that the stacks were packed too closely together and required separating.

One of […]