VILLAGERS battled against the elements in a bid to protect their homes against rising floodwater.

Residents in Railway View, Billington, piled sand bags outside their homes as rain water and melting snow from the nearby hills gushed down the hillside, cutting off the main road into Whalley and bringing water levels to within an inch of doorsteps.

Mum-to-be Paula Monahan and partner Steven Stanley joined neighbours at 6am on Monday to prevent the floodwater entering their homes.

Paula said: "The water was coming up to the doors. I've had to get my dad to bring sand bags from work. We've been out with brushes and people have been digging the drains."

Neighbour Paul Banner joined the efforts as water began to trickle into his porch.

"I got up at 6am and it was just up to the door," he said. "All the roads were completely flooded."

Council workers later arrived with a gully-sucker to drain off the water.

Motorist Harry Rimmer, on his way to Blackburn from Blackpool, got into trouble trying to cross the water-logged street and his 2CV6 had to be pushed free.

"I didn't realise how deep it was. I came into it and just sank. I guy gave me a push free but the water was coming over his wellies." It was a similar story elsewhere in Billington, on Elker Lane and at Oakes Bridge on Ribchester Road, with motorists just managing to cross the bands of water.

At Clayton-le-Dale the River Ribble swelled dangerously to its limit, sending broken branches and debris gushing down-river.

Peter Eddleston, who lives close by in Ribchester Road, said: "It was high last week and it's certainly high at the moment. I've never seen it across the road before."

On Blackburn Road in Ribchester the Boyces Brook, which flows into the River Ribble, flooded the road leading into Ribchester, turning fields and low-lying land into lakes.

Maria Joyson, owner of the Stone Bridge Bistro, in Blackburn Road, watched as rising flood waters from the brook covered patio furniture.

She said: "The worst it ever was was in February 1994 when it got within inches of the step."

Picture: The Ribble at the De Tabley Bridge, Ribchester, burst it banks yesterday.