AND NOW AFTER THE STORM THE CLEAN-UP BEGINS

The worst part about being located at the junction which joins the Irwell to the Manchester Ship Canal is that when it inevitably floods as it did on a huge scale yesterday (9th Feb), the flotsam which surges along with the swell of water always ends up in the same place, the basins at Salford Quays.

Sadly it is the task of Salford City Council to clean it all up and foot the bill.

The day after the big storm hit, Salford Council got on with the task of removing the carpet of debris from the water around Salford Quays and the stuff which ends up there never fails to surprise us. 

Amongst the usual twigs, branches, leaves and occasional tree trunk this time were such finds as no less than four half size fridge freezers, umpteen traffic cones, gas bottles, an odd welly boot (not sure where the other one ended up but someone has one foot wet) as well as several bike tyres. 

The shear amount of plastic bottles and tin cans mixed in with the rest of the muck is staggering. One can only think just what all of that plastic is doing to the local ecosystem. 

In a rather odd way it is a good thing as the rivers up stream will have had a bit of a clear out BUT the devastation to areas further up the river bring a lump to your throat when you think about just how many people are suffering.

Fortunately for Salford we had the double flood basins which undoubtedly saved thousands of Salford homes from what would have surely been a repeat of the scenes back in 2015 had they not been in place this time around.