Rivers burst and streets flooded as Storm Bert hits
Flood warnings were issued for both Bolton and Bury over the course of Saturday and in the event towns like Ramsbottom and Radcliffe proved to be some of the hardest hit.
In Ramsbottom emergency vehicles were deployed to help residents deal with rising water levels which finally started to subside by just after 6pm.
Speaking that evening, Cllr Gareth Staples-Jones said: “There are three emergency vehicles out at the moment that are going out and helping people deal with the floods.”
He added: “We do think that the flooding is subsiding now and there is no more threat to residential properties, it’s just the usual places where we’ve had flooding.
“But we think its subsiding and should clear soon so that’s where we’re up to at the moment.”
Nuttall Park was seen flooded out while to the north of the town, Rawtenstall saw heavy flooding earlier on Saturday afternoon with Burnley Road appearing to be washed out.
Some heavy flooding at the bottom of Burnley Road, Rawtenstall this afternoon. It follows the cancellation of the Christmas light switch which was due to take place this evening. @lancstelegraph pic.twitter.com/KCU8VQqyJ9
— Lisa Valentine – Journalist (@LisaDValentine) November 23, 2024
Abbey Village, near Chorley, also saw severe flooding with Bolton Road closed because of rising water levels.
Flooding also proved to be severe around parts of Radcliffe, but again had subsided by later in the evening.
A man who rents a unit at the mills said that he had been standing by ready to move things and the water came within 10 inches of the retaining walls but that it had subsided by 8pm.
He said this was “very different from 2015” when the water came up to his shoulders.
But he was still concerned about potential further rainfall later on Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday morning.
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Bolton Wanderers were able to proceed with their fixture against Blackpool, winning 2-1, despite other sides including Blackburn Rovers and Accrington Stanley having to call matches off.
The Met Office issued a further yellow warning for rain to remain in place until Sunday morning.
The Environment Agency warned that further heavy showers in the early hours of Sunday could mean river levels would stay high.
The agency issued blood alerts for the River Douglas from Horwich Star Vale to Appley Bridge including Adlington, Blackrod, Wigan, Standish, and Gathurst.