HEAVY rain and high winds caused road chaos and flooded homes on Saturday night as the tail-end of Storm Brian lashed East Lancashire.

Fire crews, police, council and Environment Agency staff were called out repeatedly as drivers were warned to take care in 'appalling weather conditions'.

Darwen, Rossendale and Hyndburn were all hit by surface water, blocked drains, inundated basements and ground floors, and watercourses breaching their banks.

Firefighters were called to several incidents where property was flooded or threatened by flood water.

Police and fire officers also warned drivers to take care on the roads on Saturday night.

The A666 Blackburn Road in Darwen was closed for about 90 minutes for surface water flooding from 6.30pm near the town centre.

Duckworth Street was affected while Clough Street flooded after the River Darwen overflowed its banks.

Surrounding roads in Darwen including Priory Drive, Borough Road, Belgrave Road, Manor Road, Granville Road, Westland Avenue, and Limes Avenue, also suffered with a number of homes flooded.

In Blackburn, Hollin Bridge Street, Billinge End Road and School Lane in Guide were affected by the rainstorm.

A fire engine from Rawtenstall attended a flood threatening between 15 to 20 properties in Olive Terrace in the town at 7pm. Firefighters spent 50 minutes pumping water. 

Shortly before another crew from Rawtenstall was sent to flooding in Blackburn Road, Haslingden.

An Environment Agency alert was also put out about flooding making Water Street, Crawshawbooth, dangerous for motorists.

At 6.45pm a Burnley fire crew was sent to pump out the basement of the Commercial pub in  Lumb. Customers were unaffected by the three-hour operation.

At the same time a crew from Bacup station was sent to Old Meadow Farm on Dog Pits lane in Weir after a stream burst its banks.

And at 6.40pm a crew from Haslingden was despatched to Thornfield Avene in Waterfoot after ground floor flat became flooded.

There were also incidents on Saturday evening involving property flooding in Meadow Park, Irwell Vale, Haslingden; Todmorden Road, Bacup; Burnley Road East and Bacup Road, Rawtenstall; and Stubby Lee Bridge in Bacup.

At the Irwell Vale incident firefighters used two pumps to remove floodwater from several properties.

At 10.09pm on Saturday firefighters from Padiham were called to a house in  Hazel Street, Rising Bridge severely affected by flooding, spending 90 minutes pumping out the cellar.

Firefighters from Hyndburn station were also called to flooding affecting the electrics of a home in Church Street, Great Harwood.

A Fire Service spokesman said: "The water was entering the property due to blocked drains."

Inspector Mick Johnson, of Blackburn's Greenbank Police headquarters, said: "Police, fire crew and staff from the Environment Agency and the borough council were called out to flooding in Darwen around 6.30pm.

"The A666 Blackburn was closed for around 90 minutes. Duckworth Street was also affected by surface water and Clough Street affected after the River Darwen overflowed."

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokeswoman said: "A clean-up operation is taking place following severe weather on Saturday which caused flooding and other disruption.

"A small number of homes in Darwen were flooded and residents were offered the option to evacuate.

"There was also traffic disruption after drains become overwhelmed due the high amount of rainfall in a short time.

"The high winds meant leaves were blown and blocked drains in areas, gravel and silt as run off from fields and blocked drains. The River Darwen could not cope with the amount of water."

Consultant meteorologist Matt Hugo tweeted: “Recorded 28.4mm in Rossendale in just four hour between 3pm and 7pm. Huge volume for a geographically risky area given it’s a valley.”

The fire service also received reports of minor flooding in Earby and Blacko.

There were no reports yesterday of injuries or major damage.