The historic 'Audenshaw Trough' has pride of place once again in the town after it was destroyed when a car crashed into it last August.

The historic cattle and horse drinking trough and transformer pillar have stood on the junction of Manchester Road and Audenshaw Road since the late 1800s.

But the Grade II listed monuments were obliterated last year when a drink driver ploughed into them causing huge damage to both.

Appalled residents living nearby offered to raise money themselves to restore the site to its former glory, some having regularly planted up ‘The Trough’ each spring with flowers.

But as owners of the monuments Tameside Council stepped in to pay for the restoration of the site.

A ‘temporary trough’ had been put in place while the restoration was undertaken, which was also damaged when it too was hit by a car.

Audenshaw councillor Oliver Ryan said the trough has now been expertly repaired by stonemasons and is back where it belongs again.

“It looks great planted up and in addition we have put some good quality bollards around the site to protect it as best as possible for the future,” he said. 

The original cattle and horse drinking trough, made of Cornish granite, was installed at the site in 1879.

The front of the trough carries the inscription ‘The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast’ . 

It was positioned at the junction of Manchester Road and Audenshaw Road in Audenshaw at a time when both cattle and horses were still regular users of public highways. 

Later, in around 1900, a circular transformer pillar and street light on a concrete base was installed adjacent to the trough. 

The front bears the Manchester coat of arms and a plate records the maker - The British Electric Transformer Co. Another records the restoration by Norweb in 1983.

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