ACCESS to Fairfield General Hospital was thrown into chaos for the third time in three weeks when part of Rochdale Old Road collapsed.

A major water mains burst, creating a large crater right outside the main entrance to the hospital on Friday morning. Ambulance crews, buses and motorists were caught up in long tailbacks.

Motorists travelling from Rochdale were initially diverted via Heywood, and only ambulances and buses were given access along the usual route.

By lunchtime, following an urgent assessment of the problem, the diversions were removed and temporary traffic signals installed. Emergency access to the hospital was maintained while repairs to the water main and carriageway were made.

Less than three weeks ago, emergency works had to be undertaken along Rochdale Old Road after two separate road collapses, again caused by underground water mains bursts.

Mrs Carole Preece, who lives near the hospital, accused the local authority of turning a deaf ear to her warnings that Rochdale Old Road could not cope with increased services at Fairfield Hospital.

She said: "Rochdale Old Road is a B road and Walmersley Road, the main route to the old Bury General, was an A road, so it just doesn't surprise me. When the plans were submitted to move everything up to Fairfield, I went to the council meetings and voiced my disapproval.

"This just vindicates everything I said all along. The road just cant cope with all this."

Fellow resident Mr David Judge added: "I'm sick of all these problems. The water bursts are happening every week and car-parking on Rochdale Old Road is dangerous. It's only a matter of time before a speeding ambulance smashes into a parked car. "

One patient who was attending a hospital appointment on Friday morning got out of her taxi and walked the rest of the way to the hospital. Patient Dorothy Frain said she had to wait more than 45 minutes for a bus.

Rochdale Old Road was fully re-opened to traffic on Monday.

Bury Council traffic engineer Ian Lord said: "Obviously an incident of this scale caused disruption and tailbacks. However, we have worked hard with United Utilities to get the mains repaired and the road restored."

Stuart Rankine, operations manager at Bury Ambulance Station, said there were minimal delays and all emergency transfers were unaffected.