The Telegraph & Argus celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and in honour of the occasion we are printing a story from our archives every day for 150 days.

Today we look at the T&A 150th: Flooded Bradford Beck

Telegraph & Argus Friday, January 2, 1959: As a raging torrent of muddy water roared beneath Bradford’s Water Street, after an overnight heavy downpour, a collection of debris accumulated in Norcroft Street, causing the Bradford Beck to gush up through the pavement and into the streets of the city centre. The swirling water from the flooded beck also caused chaos for the city’s trolley-bus service, with various lines diverted via Sunbridge Road.

Assessing the damage was Mr. S. G. Wardley, Bradford City Engineer, who felt that there was no cure for this sort of problem, as the Beck changes course almost at right angles, forcing the water up through manholes in the streets.

The Bradford Beck had also overflowed on September 20, 1946, during some of the worst floods in the West Riding for 30 years. On that occasion the whole of the city centre from Thornton Road to Canal Road was under water.