Cullingworth nursery owner's misery after heavy snowfall wreaks havoc (From Keighley News)

Cullingworth nursery owner's misery after heavy snowfall wreaks havoc

8:55am Monday 28th January 2013 in News

A horticultural nursery owner has told how his life’s work and business are under threat after his greenhouse collapsed and smashed under heavy snowfall.

Stewart Taylor, owner of Faro Field Nurseries and Landscapes on Haworth Road, Cullingworth, woke up on Saturday morning to find a “twisted and mangled” wreck where the 8ft by 24ft greenhouse once stood.

He says that he will now be forced to miss this year’s growing season.

An adjoining canopy was also ripped down as five to six inches of snow fell on Friday night.

The 56-year-old said the greenhouse, which had been in place for around 15 years, could cost the small business “thousands of pounds” to replace.

“The growing season starts early February and we will miss it,” he said.

“It was just the sheer volume of snow that Friday night, there was nothing we could have done. It’s a freak of nature thing.”

His wife Mary, 55, added: “We’ve had this much snow in previous years but this is astonishing.

“There were about five or six inches of snow and the greenhouse collapsed under the weight of it.

“Now all that’s left is a twisted, mangled wreck – there’s glass everywhere and the area’s been deemed unsafe.

“It’s the main growing area and it’s totally destroyed.”

Mr Taylor said the business, which has been operating for 18 years, would do what it could to provide hanging baskets and bedding plants for its customers and would continue to offer its landscaping services.

“We will need to look at whether we replace the greenhouse or not. We are only a small business,” he said.

“It’s just not something you expect to happen.

“After a night of snowfall, bang, it’s gone.

“We will try and do anything possible to continue, it’s just how I’m not sure.”

The heavy snow brought chaos to roads across the Keighley district, with a number of motorists abandoning their vehicles, but police said there were no reports of any serious accidents.

The weather also wiped out Saturday’s outdoor sports fixtures.

Milder temperatures, with the resultant thaw, and rain as the weekend progressed brought a new risk - flooding.

Several minor roads were passable only with care yesterday due to lake-like conditions.

And the Environment Agency has issued flood alerts for the River Aire upper catchment area - between Gargrave and Stockbridge, including Silsden Beck - and the middle catchment, from Stockbridge to Castleford.