A FOOTBALL club is counting the cost of Storm Erik after strong winds blew the roof off their changing rooms.

Officials from Bacup Borough have posted on their Twitter page about the damage as the roof was now lying on the pitch.

Club manager Brent Peters has described the scene like a 'warzone' when he arrived this morning.

He said: "The winds woke me up and I live five miles from the ground.

"Bacup Borough is second or third nationally for being the highest above sea level and if bad weather comes to the Pennines it usually affects us.

"We had our stand roof come off last year. 

"It could not have come at a worse time as we are in a cup competition in Liverpool but they are still coming here expecting to be training.

"It is carnage and like a war zone, it has ripped through the roof like a knife through butter.

"We are a non-league football club and play semi-professional football and the ground gradings are important.

"This is going to be a costly exercise and come at the busiest time of the season for us.

"If it had come in May it would have been better but not in February.

"I have been ringing around to get all hands on deck to get it fixed.

"The rain is also coming in and we have electricity in there and it would be a danger."

Elsewhere, Blackburn with Darwen Police posted on their Facebook page about an incident on Preston Old Road this morning.

Duty Inspector Dave Clarke from Blackburn said: "The tree is blocking the road. Highways teams are on their way there and our officers are at the scene and they will put diversions in place.

"We would urge motorists to avoid the area while it is being cleared."

Meanwhile, there are also reports of the gales bringing down another tree on Trapp Lane in Simonstone.

Duty Inspector Paul Gaynor from Burnley said: "The road is currently blocked and the highways teams will be looking to sort it."

Meanwhile, fire authorities in Colne issued a warning against the safety of roof slates being loose due to the high winds, as a fire crew were deployed to a house in Whinehall Trawden.

The fire crew spent 30 minutes at the site, using a ladder to remove flour slates from the roof at 10am this morning. 

Nobody was injured during the callout. A spokesman for Colne fire services, said: "People have to be aware in these high winds, that there is a possibility that slates can become loose and fall down.

"This is a public safety risk and therefore we will help anyone who thinks their roof slates may pose a risk."

Elsewhere, on social media there are reports of Market Street in Bacup being blocked by a tree.

Met Office chiefs issued a 'yellow' warning for strong winds until 3pm this afternoon.

They said: "A spell of strong winds will move from west to east through Saturday morning, bringing potential travel disruption.

"Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely and delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges are likely."

  • Have you seen any trees down or seen any disruption on our roads? Email robert.kelly@nqnw.co.uk