Parents warned of 'Rochdale's Chernobyl' dangers

Parents have been warned of the dangers of children trespassing on land that once housed the world's largest asbestos factory.

The owners of the former Turner Brothers factory site - dubbed "Rochdale's Chernobyl" - said asbestos fibres in the derelict buildings still posed a threat to those who enter.

The site, now owned by Spodden Park Ltd, has become a magnet for bored teenagers and "urban explorers", the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Spodden Park reported higher rates of trespassing during school holidays, with many of the risk takers believed to be "regulars".

Turner Brothers was a major employer in Rochdale.

Its factory in the Greater Manchester town closed in the 1990s.

When the LDRS visited the site last year, it reported a number of visible breaches in the fences as well as a smashed-up CCTV camera.

A spokesperson for Spodden Park Ltd said there were more than 100 trespassing incidents during October 2025, with the number of breaches estimated to be between 30 and 60 per month, rising by up to 25% during school holidays.

It has urged parents and carers to educate their children as to the risks of trespassing on the site.

"Spodden Park has suffered a number of break-in attempts despite the repeated replacement of hardened steel security chains and locks," the company said.

"We are very concerned that people are willing to expose themselves to potential danger, either in the act of vandalism or theft."

Spodden Park urged parents and carers to download and discuss the contents of a factsheet it had prepared on the risks associated with trespassing in abandoned buildings containing asbestos.

The company also warned of a risk of collapse both outside and inside the decaying buildings on the Spod Road site.

It said it would be difficult for emergency services to reach someone inside the fencing.

Urban explorers, who film themselves going into abandoned buildings and dangerous spots, have posted videos on YouTube and other social media platforms.

The company has been plugging holes in the fences in recent months in a bid to stop them, warning it was not ruling out taking some trespassers to court if issues continued.

It said it had also continued to clean up fly-tipping on the site and urged witnesses to contact police.

Spodden Park plans to redevelop the site and, although no concrete plans have been revealed, it is anticipated that housing and some form of park will feature.

There have been long periods of uncertainty surrounding the redevelopment of the site.

This began in 2004 when controversial plans to build 650 homes, a children's daycare centre and a business park on the land were tabled but eventually thrown out by Rochdale Council in 2011.

The next hope of development came through ESG Trading Ltd in 2021 but planning permission was refused after landowner MMC Estates failed to carry out a £500,000 investigation into contamination on the site.

In 2014, a fire ravaged a section of the factory buildings.

Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring, fibrous minerals that were once widely used in various products due to their resistance to heat, fire, and chemicals.

The substance is now known to be a carcinogen, and exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to serious health problems, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.

The factsheet produced by Spodden Park Ltd describes how breathing in asbestos fibres can mean they stay in there for life, potentially leading to asbestosis.

Asbestos fibres can also get stuck on clothes and pose a risk to family members who later breathe them in.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.