People left 'devastated' after fire rips through Oldham allotments

Allotment holders at Oakbank Allotments on Laurel Avenue in Chadderton are picking up the pieces after a devastating fire tore through their plots on Saturday evening. The blaze, which broke out around 9pm during Storm Dave, destroyed several sheds and a greenhouse, leaving plot holders 'devastated' just as the growing season begins.

Adrian Shuttleworth, secretary of Oakbank Allotments, received the call at 9.15pm and arrived to find firefighters already tackling the flames. 'The winds were very strong and by the time I was down, within about 10 minutes of the fire breaking out, a few of the sheds had been grounded, while the glass on a greenhouse had all broken,' he said.

The fire spread rapidly due to the strong winds, with two fire engines from Oldham and Chadderton stations responding to the scene. Firefighters used two hose reels to bring the blaze under control, departing after roughly an hour. This is the first major incident at the allotments in 15 years.

For the affected plot holders, the timing couldn't be worse. 'Clearly the people involved are devastated-to make matters worse, it's just the start of the growing season,' Shuttleworth explained. Despite their disappointment, the community remains determined to carry on, with plans for a clean-up already in the works.