Christmas Eve 2021 marks the 77th anniversary of the day at German V-1 rocket fell in Abbey Hills Road.

It is believed the target was Manchester but that the bomb had run out of fuel and consequently fallen in Oldham.

The Abbey Hills V-bomb killed 27 people and 53 were injured, 38 being treated at the Oldham Royal Infirmary.

It was also believed that one person, of whom no trace was found, was also a victim.

Thirty-five houses were totally destroyed and 1,180 were damaged.

The bomb must have passed over Lees as a bundle of letters containing the names of British prisoners of war in German hands were found in Lees Cemetery.

The sounding of the sirens shortly before 5.30am came as a surprise.

Owing to the fact that many households had family parties gathered at their homes for Christmas, the normal population of the district was considerably increased.

It was the first flying bomb attack on the north.

The remains of a woman were later found in the wreckage and she was identified as Hannah Mary Holmes, aged 62, of 145 Abbey Hills Road.

Up to two years ago she had been working at the Moorside Mills.

Ethel Matthews of 16 Florida had known Miss Holmes and her niece for many years. She was to have slept at their house on the night of December 23, but as she had a cold she had changed her mind.

In December 2014 a commemorative plaque was unveiled at the site on Saturday, at noon, by Doreen Highland, who was a young girl when the attack destroyed her home. The unveiling cemetery took place at 145 Abbey Hills Road.