PEOPLE are still 'living in fear' exactly a year after the disastrous floods that rocked East Lancashire.

Storm Eva left hundreds of people homeless and the army was called in to help with evacuations with homes surrounded by waist-high waters.

Houses were ruined, shops had to close and millions of pounds of damage was caused as rivers burst their banks.

The worst hit areas included Whalley, Padiham, Earby, Ribchester, Barrowford, Lomeshaye and parts of Burnley.

Each community rallied round to help their neighbours and lead the clean up operation for weeks afterwards.

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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.

Now community leaders have spoken out about the impact the flooding had on their areas and how people have worked to rebuild their lives.

Nigel Evans, Ribble Valley’s MP, said the scale of the floods was one of the biggest obstacles East Lancashire has had to face.

He said: “Good often comes out of bad and we saw so much of it come out of the devastation that ravaged our county last year.

“Walking around streets of the areas hit by floods and you can see the transformation and effort that was put in to get lives back to normal.

“Roads were relayed, shops were gutted and rebuilt, homes were repainted and replaced, it’s truly remarkable.

“It’s difficult to put in perspective and there are not enough works to praise how people reacted, it was absolutely superb.

“People gave up their Boxing days for strangers, they gave up their days off and put work on hold to help rehome people, it was sensational.”

One of the worst hit areas was Whalley where roads became inpassable and hundreds were forced out of their homes.

Cllr Terry Hill, who represents the village on Ribble Valley Council, said last year's events were still fresh in the memory.

He said: "It's amazing looking back now to think what it was like on Boxing Day.

"The water was so high, it was a really horrible day, everything was covered in water.

"People still get worried when it rains heavily, they live in fear of it happening again and the scary thought is it could well do.

"But the floods brought out the good in so many people.

"Whalley rallied together to make sure everyone had food, clothing and somewhere to stay."

Community groups in each affected town and village helped organise the big task of repairing the damage.

Many businesses and shops were forced to closed during the weeks after the floods.

A facebook group, 'Padiham Pound Pledge' was set up to encourage people to spend money in the town as businesses took in as little as £10 a day.

However work to some landmarks, such as Padiham's Town Hall, is not expected to reopen until the Spring.

Dave Alexander, president-elect of the Padiham Rotary Club, which helped with the flood relief, said: "Lots of businesses were back open after a couple of weeks.

"It was important for everyone to try and get back to normal as quick as possible to make sure everything kept going.

"Padiham got together through the floods, everyone became everyone's friend and total strangers were helping each other out."

Andrew Ronnan, group director of the Whalley and Billington Flood Action Group, said it is important for communities to make sure they are prepared for future flooding.

He said: "Until our ancient infrastructure is enhanced though, it has to be said that we face further flood risk and that is the reality of our situation.

"So being prepared to the best we can be as a community with impressively spirited volunteers is the vital consideration right now.

"We are confident though that we can make a real proactive and reactive difference if the weather is unkind to us once again."

Borough councils announced a total suspension of all charges for three months or until people got back on their feet.

Flood Recovery Payments of £500 and Flood Resilience Grants of up to £5,000 were made available to be applied for.

Catherine Price, Burnley and Padiham's town centre manager, said council officers have worked throughout the year to offer support to owners of flooded properties.

She said: "During the year we ran flood resilience workshops for businesses and households, preparing them for potential future flooding incidents.

"I was so impressed with how businesses and the community were bouncing back from the flood.

"Not all businesses are back to operating at pre-boxing day levels but they are getting there.

"The whole experience had strengthened connections in the community and businesses.

"It was nice to see some positive outcomes after the floods with many town centre businesses being refurbished with fresh new shop fronts and interiors, making a welcome improvement to Padiham's high street.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the community for their strength, hard work and resilience and encourage local people to support businesses in Padiham in the new year."