'They won't give us the cash, so we sorted it ourselves'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A community denied a much-needed flood protection because of the £30m cost have created their own makeshift defences. Last Saturday (Ferbruary 1), more than 30 residents of Riverside Drive, Prestolee, Kearsley, filled and tied sandbags and added them to the mound on top of the banks of the River Irwell near their homes.

Many residents are certain that previously installed informal, flood defences on the embankment – funded by them – saved their houses from flooding on New Year’s Day, 2025.

The work on Saturday was to fill in low points identified during heavy rainfall at New Year. The collective work has been described by a councillor as ‘community spirit at its best’.

Neighbours set up a ‘brew station’ to provide hot drinks and biscuits and supporter Neil Fairclough acted as an impromptu DJ, playing music and making the volunteers laugh as the sandbags were filled.