March 15, 1969

VILLAGES were cut off and traffic slithered to a standstill in the borough on Thursday as overnight snow created ice-rink conditions on Bury's roads.

Although the snow was light compared to last month's storms it created chaos. Many roads became blocked and outlying villages ­— including Edenfield, Stubbins, Summerseat, Shuttleworth and Turn ­— were cut off for the second time in the past month.

Traffic on Longsight Road was particularly affected as workmen and passengers attempted to free two trapped buses.

In Ramsbottom, ambulance crews had to dig their way out of the their Cemetery Road station to answer emergency calls.

And at the Holly Mount School in Tottington the electricity supply cut of while kitchen staff were preparing pupils' dinner. But thanks to a hurriedly arranged plan dinner was still served as food was delivered from kitchens around the town.

By tea time though the worst was over and most of the main roads were back to working order.

TWO Post Office telephone technicians escaped with only slight injuries when their van crashed into a cottage in Walmersley.

Robert Beswick and Stanley Hamnet were driving down Pigs Lea Brow on Monday afternoon when the collision happened.

Fire crews were called to get the men out of their van and both were taken to Bury General Hospital with ankle injuries, but later sent home.

A Post Office recovery vehicle towed the van away.

A ROW has erupted over the future of Bury's public abattoir which costs over £5,000 a year to run and has lost over £50,000 in the past 14 years.

Previous bids to close the slaughterhouse down were defeated but the council is now calling for a review of its future use citing that the abattoir is grossly underused and incurring a large loss.

However others believe it provides a vital public service.

The abattoir was the centre of another storm two years ago because of smells from the building, which traders on the nearby market said were creating a "nauseating stench".

The Bury premises were erected in 1902 when all existing private slaughter houses were closed.

In 1909 the council gained powers to prevent any similar premises being opened.