HIGH winds have caused damage to a section of the roof at Saints’ new Langtree Park home.

Aluminium sheeting at the south west corner of the £25m stadium appears to have been torn after storms battered the region overnight and throughout today.

It is thought the region has faced winds approaching 70mph at times.

The crumpled section of roof sheeting, above the Keiron Cunningham statue, and insulation material could be seen flapping in the gusts of wind this afternoon.

It is the second time in recent months that the under construction stadium’s roof has been damaged during storms.

Workmen from Barr Construction, who won the contract to build the stadium, will examine the damage once the high winds drop.

Pictures circulating social media showing the damage to the 18,000 capacity arena spread rapidly this afternoon.

A workman from the contractors was present nearby the Tesco superstore to prevent visitors approaching the stadium amid safety concerns. The Saints store located inside the stadium has been closed as a precaution.

The damage comes less than three weeks before the first match at the stadium, which will see Saints entertain Widnes in the Karalius cup, in front of a reduced capacity crowd.

The club is currently going through various stages to secure a safety certificate for their new home ahead of the start of Super League in February.

Work is continuing on the fit-out of the stadium’s interior. Meanwhile, a planning application to install perforated aluminium cladding around perimeters of the north, west and east stands, to ensure concourses are covered “as much as is technically possible”, has also been approved by St Helens Council.

Saints, who stress that the stadium remains “under construction”, are expected to release a statement once a detailed picture of the situation emerges.