TWO police officers found themselves stranded after driving into a flooded stretch of road.

While many other motorists turned around and found another route to their destination to avoid the deep water in Fort Street, Blackburn, the officers decided to try to make their way through it.

The flooding happened after heavy rain deluged East Lancashire on Saturday, causing treacherous driving conditions as thunder and lightning storms lit up the sky.

A number of roads were effected by surface water, including Fort Street which is a known flooding hotspot.

Sarah Thompson, of Whitebirk Road, was in her car with partner Christopher and three children when she witnessed the officers’ attempt to cross the water in the marked hatchback.

The 31-year-old full-time mum said: “When we noticed how badly it was flooded, we went another way round, like a lot of people did.

“We pulled up to watch how people got through.

“A Land Rover made its through, going really slowly. But the police officers went as fast as they could to try to get through.

“They got stuck in the middle. I think the car stalled, because it had lights on when they headed in and they all went out.

“They were still sat there five minutes later.

“Then they very slowly drove out, but then they pulled over at the side of the road a few metres up.

“There was steam pouring out from underneath the car.

“They were still at the side of the road 15 or 20 minutes later.”

A spokesman for Blackburn Police said: “I don’t know where these officers were heading, but they might have been going to a robbery at knife-point.

“I’m sure if you were being robbed at knife-point, you would want them to have driven straight through the water.”

More heavy rain is forecast for today and tomorrow, followed by dry weather on Wednesday and a return to heavy rain on Thursday.