GALLERY: More flooding in East Lancashire (From Lancashire Telegraph)

GALLERY: More flooding in East Lancashire

5:32pm Thursday 28th June 2012 in News By David Watkinson, Deputy news editor

HEAVY rain caused flash floods across East Lancashire this afternoon.

Many properties hit by the floods were the same as those that suffered during downpours over the weekend.

There were major problems reported in Darwen, Rishton, Great Harwood and areas of Blackburn as drains were overwhelmed.

In Railway Road, Darwen, homes were flooded while in Spring Street, Rishton, water rose swiftly from the nearby canal. Roads were also flooded in Queen’s Park, Blackburn, and nearby Haslingden Road close to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

In Blackburn six homes in Accrington Road flooded.

Rainwater ran down Fecitt Brow, into back yards, through back doors and residents had to open their front doors to allow it to flow out.

Safura Sidat, 30, said: “Black water started coming in all the way up to the window sill. My kids were absolutely traumatised. It was terrible. How are we going to clean this up?”

Umar Sidat said: “Last time this happened we had to spend three months drying the house out.”

In Darwen, Tony Melia said: "I was on Railway Road when the heavens opened.

“Before I knew it there was about six to eight inches flowing down the road, it looked like a continuous river. All the ad boards outside the shops were swept away.

“On Blackburn Road by the filling station the same houses as last week were flooded and everyone was trying to bail out the water. It only took a matter of minutes. I've never seen rain like it. It was like a monsoon."

Former Hyndburn Mayor Paul Barton and his wife Sarah were cleaning up floods at a Rishton home they own in Spring Street.

Mr Barton said: “I am absolutely fuming. Water was pouring in faster than we could bail it out.”

More heavy showers are expected across East Lancashire today.

The forecast has led the Environment Agency to warn of yet more surface water flooding as drainage systems struggle to cope with a large amount of rainfall.

Steve Moore, director for the Environment Agency in the North West, urged people to remain vigilant and check weather forecasts, and the agency’s website, for more information.

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