SAINTS today issued a further statement confirming that Langtree Park avoided serious storm damage after being irritated by inaccurate reports.

According to police, St Helens Council closed Peasley Cross Lane temporarily last night after initial fears the South Stand had been damaged.

Initial radio reports and tweets – one sent by council leader Barrie Grunewald - suggested the road closure was a result of damage to the roof.

It led to a flurry of comments on social media.

But the claims were misinformed, says the club.

Saints later revealed the road had been shut as a precaution after a sponsor’s sign blew off the £30million stadium’s exterior amid high winds that battered St Helens and the north west last night.

Saints chief executive Mike Rush was at the ground last night and he later confirmed to the Star that a sponsor’s sign had blown off on to the club car park and a few window panels had shattered.

It prompted checks of the roof to be undertaken but Rush stressed there were no signs of damage.

A full safety check – which the club says is a matter of course – will be carried out today.

It is understood Saints have been irritated by the inaccurate remarks made last night, which were issued without the club being contacted.

The stadium’s roof did suffer some storm damage two years ago during similar high winds but engineers have since carried out a strengthening programme and Saints invested a five figure sum to install cladding on open sections of the stands.

In a statement Saints said: “The club wishes to correct misinformed statements as to storm damage at Langtree Park.

“The only damage was to an outside sign.

“Standard safety checks will now be conducted as a matter of course whilst the stadium remains fully operational.”