Call for urgent talks over Blackpool flooding

Coun Maxine Callow said residents of Norbreck and Anchorsholme were once again faced with rising water threatening their homes during heavy rainfall on Sunday September 29.

She told a meeting of Blackpool Council's tourism, economy and communities scrutiny committee: "What do you say to people when water is in the road and coming into the garden.

"You can imagine the panic when only two years ago people were out of their homes for six months."

She said councillors from Norbreck and Anchorsholme are meeting with council chiefs next week, while council leader Coun Simon Blackburn was trying to organise a meeting with water company United Utilities.

Coun Callow added: "To my knowledge, this has been going on for 20 years.

"People shouldn't have to live like this, in fear that every time there is heavy rainfall they are going to be flooded and have to move out of their homes."

Coun Paula Burdess said homes in Mereside had also been affected by September's rainfall, with water 'knee deep' in Langdale Road.

Around 300 properties in north Blackpool suffered from flooding in November 2017 during a weekend of heavy rain.

A Section 19 council report published last week into the 2017 flooding blamed unusually high rainfall which had saturated the whole drainage system.

Coun Fred Jackson, cabinet member for environment, transport and climate change, said: "We have to face up to the fact climate change is real and the flooding we get now is far more extreme than many years ago."

He said the Section 19 report had shown United Utilities had fulfilled its duties during the 2017 incident.

He added: "After a long meeting we came to the conclusion some of the accusations against United Utilities weren't justified.

"We know people will have doubts, and we will do all we can to ensure a meeting takes place."