A ROAD has been closed due to flooding.

Nuttall Street in Accrington has been closed by police after heavy rain last night caused severe flooding.

Residents said the road began to flood after the drains, which had become clogged with leaves, were unable to drain the water.

Police said they received a call from concerned business owners at around 7am as the water was still more than a foot deep.

The road has been closed and two police cars have been stationed at the closure.

Lancashire County Council staff are out today assessing any damage caused by the flooding, and clearing debris from roads and drains.

Speaking about last night's flooding, which particularly affected the north of the county, as well as pockets in areas including Chorley, Whalley and the M65, County Councillor Keith Iddon, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "My sympathies go out to everyone affected by last night's flooding. The problems were caused by the sheer volume of rainwater.

"We saw very high river levels, including the River Conder breaking its banks in Galgate, which meant that water pouring off the land into drains on the roads had nowhere to go. Fortunately, when the rain stopped at around 4am this morning, we saw the flooding clear quite quickly.

"Our out of hours teams across the county, include drivers on standby for gritting duties, spent all night assisting the emergency services, clearing drains and culverts, putting out warning signs and delivering sandbags.

"We will have other staff out today assessing damage to our highways, clearing any debris left on roads or washed into drains, as well as visiting affecting residents to offer support and advice."