STAFF at an award-winning rural pub were forced to take cover as water raged through the building.

Water rushed through The Parkers Arms in Newton-in-Bowland for the second time this year and left staff with no other option but to wait for the flow to stem.

For four hours the eight-inch high flood flowed through the historic former coach house but luckily caused minimal damage to the interior.

The pub flooded on New Year’s Day with the water returning on Wednesday night.

After a flood in 2011 the pub was refurbished and the carpets removed in a bid to try to minimise the damage if the pub was flooded again.

Because of the efforts of the staff, many of whom were called in on their day off to help with the clear up operation, the pub reopened the next day.

The Hall Gate Hill pub has now called for something to be done to better protect the pub and the village after the River Hodder burst its banks on Wednesday.

Manager AJ Nolan said: “The water was coming through with horrific force and you had to see it to believe it.

“In the end there was nothing that we could do so I sat on the side and had to wait until the flow had stopped.

“The more times it happens the more damage it’s going to cause and it could be the next time that real damage could be done to the pub.

“Before this year it had not happened for a few years and we thought that we were lucky.

“When it rains hard for a long time like it has done recently in the area the water drains from the hills and comes into the village.

“There is only so much that we as a pub can do and we would like to see something done about it.

“I have been talking to Cllr Rosie Elms, who represents the village on Ribble Valley Borough Council, to see if anything can be done.”

Licensee Kathy Smith said: “The water was more than 1ft outside so we had to just wait until it had stopped coming in.

“We are lucky that no lasting damage was done since there is nothing really that we can do more to stop it happening.

“The staff did an amazing job clearing the place up.”