LANCASHIRE was today drying out after unprecedented floods and record river levels left a trail of destruction.

Hundreds of people were left homeless as the Army was called in to evacuate homes in the Ribble Valley with waters waist-high in places on Boxing Day.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Firefighters said they dealt with 350 flood-related incidents and rescued 50 people as the Environment Agency put the county on red alert, meaning there was a danger to life.

Rest centres were set up in Whalley, Longridge, Haslingden and Chorley to help those affected after barely a corner of East Lancashire escaped unscathed.

Lancashire Telegraph:

A lack of sandbags was noted in some areas, with residents forced to make their own using gravel off their driveways.

Yesterday, as the water subsided, people began assessing the damage and started the long clean-up operation with a Dunkirk spirit replacing the shock and sadness.

Prime Minister David Cameron chaired the Government’s emergency Cobra committee and promised a review of flood defences. He is expected to visit flood-hit areas, including Lancashire, in the coming days.

As the water poured down Whalley’s King Street on Saturday, parish councillor June Brown said: “I’ve never ever seen it as bad as this. It’s heart breaking. I don’t know how people will recover because it’s never happened before.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

Whalley was once again the worst hit, with water forced up through the floorboards of properties after the River Calder burst its banks.

Residents left their King Street homes in rescue boats on Boxing Day morning, some wearing shorts, wellington boots and carrying just a small rucksack of belongings.

Parish council chairman Martin Highton was one of the last people evacuated, after seeing the water reach thigh height in his home.

Joan Shackleton, 74, who lives on King Street with husband Hugh, 75, was desperately trying to keep water out of her home using makeshift defences.

 


Alice Foley, of Queen Street, said Army personnel knocked on doors at 3am, warning people of the impending floods.

More than 30 members of the Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team helped with the evacuation and recovery in Ribchester where flood levels were described as extreme, team leader Kevin Camplin said.

The Ribchester Arms, which was due to entertain scores of people for Boxing Day meals, was described as a ‘complete mess inside’, cut off by waist-deep water that flooded the kitchen and ground floor.

Elsewhere, flooding hit numerous parts of East Lancashire after hours of relentless rain and police set up a Gold Command Centre to coordinate rescue and emergency action.

A severe flood warning was issued by the Environment Agency until 9pm on Boxing Day, with the Ribble at Ribchester, the Calder at Whalley and Padiham bursting their banks.

Other flood warnings were in place for Blackburn, Samlesbury, Burnley, Barrowford, Crawshawbooth, Rawtenstall, Bacup, Waterfoot, Todmorden and surrounding areas.

 


Electricity supplies were lost to hundreds of homes in Padiham for several hours and sheep were washed away in Whalley.

Sawley and Darwen were also affected, while both Blackburn Rovers and Accrington Stanley’s games were called off, along with other weekend events including the annual Whinberry Naze run.

 


Train services were also affected by major flooding and landslips. Flooding in the Walsden area affected the Blackburn to Manchester Victoria service.

Yesterday, Mr Cameron promised to send more troops to ‘do whatever is needed’ to help.

The average rainfall for the whole of December in the North West was 145mm, and on Saturday between 50mm and 80mm fell over a nine-hour period.

Rain is expected to return on Wednesday with a Met Office yellow warning in place for 20-40mm plus 50-60mph winds.