Car on roof as crash closes road for several hours
Plus, route from Todmorden to Hebden Bridge to reopen... again!
Hi everyone,
Welcome to the weekend edition of The Calderdale Lead.
We’ve got a packed edition this week for you with details of a dramatic incident yesterday which left a car on its roof and the latest on the long-running saga of the hole in the road.
Plus, a look at the upcoming celebrations to make the legacy of Anne Lister - aka Gentleman Jack, the first ‘modern’ lesbian.
So, on with the news…
Road smash leaves drivers stranded as police close major road for hours
Police closed a major route into Todmorden yesterday for several hours after a road smash left a car on its roof in Lydgate.
Burnley Road was cordoned off from mid-afternoon to early evening after the dramatic crash, in which a car collided with a wall.
The air ambulance was called and landed in nearby Centre Vale Park. It’s not known at this stage the extent of any injuries.
Police investigators spent hours combing the scene looking for clues and officers were searching for CCTV from neighbouring properties to try and piece together what had happened.
An eyewitness told The Calderdale Lead: “I didn’t see the accident itself but we could hear the air ambulance circling above and wonder what had happened.
“We went outside and saw it landing in the park so walked up the street and saw the car on its roof.
“The car was a right mess and it had clear hit the wall at some speed.”
Todmorden-Hebden Bridge to partially reopen
It’s the news that residents, businesses and anyone who travels between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge has been waiting for.
Halifax Road - which has been closed again for the last nine days - it to re-open, albeit partially, from tomorrow morning.
Yorkshire Water have been carrying out more repair work on a section of sewer and improve the resilience of the wider section of sewer that runs under the road by reinforcing it with a structural liner.
Calderdale Councillor Sarah Courtney took to Facebook last night to deliver the good news, via a statement from Yorkshire Water.
It says that the road will partially reopen - using two-way traffic lights - from 6am tomorrow morning.
The statement from Yorkshire Water said: "Yorkshire Water and Calderdale Council are pleased to announce that one lane of the A646 Halifax Road, Charlestown, Hebden Bridge will reopen under two-way lights with effect from 6am on Monday 24 February.
"The shuttle bus will stop on Saturday evening and normal bus services resume from Monday 24 February. We are working as quickly as we can to fully reline the culvert and will reopen the road fully as soon as it is safe to do so.
"We are aware that this is a critical route between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. We would like to thank local residents, businesses and road users for their patience."
Events planned to mark life of ‘Gentleman Jack’ Anne Lister
Halifax is set to come alive with more than 70 events celebrating the birthday of one of its most remarkable historical figures, Anne Lister.
Known as a landowner, entrepreneur, mountaineer, scholar, and pioneering lesbian, Lister was born in Halifax on April 3, 1791.
From March 29 to April 6, 2025, Calderdale Council is supporting the fourth annual Anne Lister Birthday Festival, inviting visitors to explore the legacy of this trailblazing woman. The festival offers an array of activities, from private tours of Lister’s iconic home, Shibden Hall, to exclusive exhibitions and live performances.
A major highlight of the festival will be the rare access to areas of Shibden Hall not usually open to the public. Attendees can also view costumes from the BBC/HBO series Gentleman Jack on display at both Shibden Hall and Bankfield Museum. Halifax Central Library will showcase Anne Lister’s famed diaries, offering a fascinating glimpse into her world.
On April 3, the anniversary of Lister’s birth, will feature a flower-laying ceremony at her statue in Piece Hall, followed by an evening celebration at the Arches in Dean Clough. The next night, the Candlelit Concert at Halifax Minster promises to be a moving tribute, featuring renowned harpist Fiona Katie Widdop, pianist Lisa Timbs, and local musical trio The Greyhounds.
For the first time, the festival extends beyond Halifax, with a lesbian community film afternoon at Hebden Bridge Picture House and a Regency Tea Dance at Todmorden College.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Cllr Danielle Durrans, said: “The annual Anne Lister birthday festival is getting bigger each year, with the 2025 edition featuring as part of our CultureDale programme and including over 70 incredible events.
“February is LGBTQ+ History Month and we’re very proud of Anne’s extraordinary story. We continue to see how it inspires people from all over the world and it’s quite incredible that someone who lived over 200 years ago is still having an impact on people’s lives today.
“It’s wonderful that we’re able to offer so many opportunities for people to come together in Anne’s hometown and birthplace.
“I can safely say that anyone attending the festival will be warmly welcomed, with both free and paid-for events to inspire and entertain visitors from near and far.”
For full event details, visit www.annelisterofhalifax.co.uk.
That’s all for this edition of The Calderdale Lead. Don’t forget that if you’ve got a story you think we should be covering then please email calderdale@thelead.uk and we’ll take a look.
Until Wednesday, enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Andrew