Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 11 September 1931

At The Wombwell Speedway and Wath Cricket

There was still a foot of water on the Speedway at Wombwell on Monday, an evening meeting was abandoned. The track has suffered considerable damage. Fences have been weakened through the washing away of the foundations, and tons of cinders have been lost. It is probably brought the racing season to end at Wombwell.

The flood took the Speedway officials completely by surprise. Business was proceeding as usual at the club when a watchman rushed in with an intimation that water was collecting. Within 10 minutes the water was a foot deep inside the clubrooms and 10 minutes later had reached the level of the bar counter.

The Speedway club is under the stand and escape was possible in one direction only. Water poured through the doors torrent. Many members quitted as quickly as possible, but a dozen or so stayed to help the steward and officials to retrieve as much of the furniture and stop as possible. Barrels and chairs floated about, and the steward (Mr L Gelder) was struck on the leg by a “thirty-sixer” which he had just tapped. The water reached the top step of the office.

Throughout Sunday children use the track as a bathing pool, and on Monday the water was still a foot deep.

The sudden flooding of this Speedway was due to the bursting of the fence of the Mitchell Main cricket ground, which has acted as a dam to the Dove.

The Yorkshire Council semi final between Wath and South Kirkby was, of course postponed, with the Wath ground under water. On the football pitch it was 45 feet deep and on the cricket square there was 20 inches of water. Never before has the ground been flooded to such an extent. Tentative arrangements were made to play the match tomorrow in the Swinton ground, which is situated on a high level.