Three rescued as flash floods cause Fylde chaos

There were reports of localised flooding in Fleetwood, central Blackpool, Thornton, Cleveleys, Garstang and Bispham.

Cars were stranded and in Thornton vulnerable residents were rescued by the fires service’s inflatable boat.

Preston fire service said those rescued were being tended to by the Red Cross and that their homes were being pumped out.

Trains on the West Coast mainline were cancelled due to flooded tracks and hundreds of passengers had to wait for hours to complete their journeys via rail replacement services.

A flood risk warning was in place overnight on the River Wyre at Brock.

Lancashire fire and rescue said they were experiencing huge demand on their services.

They said: “We are currently in attendance at 15 flooding incidents mainly in Lancaster and Poulton-le-Fylde and we have several other non-life risk incidents stacked.”

Blackpool Council said: “Please be aware because of flooding Devonshire Road is closed between Mansfield Road and Warley Road. Please take care when driving and avoid deep water.”

The Gazette put a call out to readers for help in warning others which areas had been worst affected. And we were overwhelmed by the response on social media.

In Anchorsholme, residents of Sevenoaks Drive said their road had been flooded and that United Utilities say part of Anchorsholme Pumping Station has stopped working. This could not be confirmed at the time of going to press.

In Thornton, residents told us that there was widespread flooding between Crabtree Road and Heys Street.

Marie Grassie from Carleton Tyres, described how she saw a car floating down the street and said: “My partner went out to rescue a friend and there are cars everywhere stranded.”

Lauren Ashleigh Hopkins-Lucius said: “Devonshire Road under the bridge is flooded, Teesdale Ave just had to turn around people have bins outside in the middle of the road.”

Joanna Watson said: “The road near Castle Gardens in Carleton towards Bispham is deep. I just got through it but it was touch and go!”

Donna Christina Russell wrote: “All of Lawsons Road and Woodlands is all flooded. I think most of Thornton isn’t far off being under water.”

Alison Howarth reported electrical outages in Northumberland Avenue.

Andrew J D Smith reported: “Just driven from Blackpool South to Thornton was OK until I got to the sixth-form college from there to Thornton flooded roads.”

Sandbags were made available by Wyre Council and are still available from the following locations: Thornton: In the car park next to the outdoor football pitches, Thornton Sports Centre, Victoria Road East, FY5 3SXCleveleys: In the car park next to Cleveleys Community Church Centre, off Beach Road, Cleveleys, FY5 1ERPoulton: Civic Centre Car Park, Breck Road, FY6 7PUSunnyside Terrace Preesall: 200 sandbags are stored in the barn at the bottom of Cart Gate, Preesall, FY6 0EHGarstang: High Street car park to the read, High Street, Garstang, PR3 1EBChurchtown: Village hall car parkSt Michaels: Village hall car park

In Preesall, land drained by the pumped watercourses flooded, including properties contained by Pilling Lane, Green Dick’s Lane, Head Dyke Lane, Lancaster Road and those accessed by Grasmere Road.

Lancashire fire and rescue services have been called out to rescue drivers on Hazelrigg Lane, Lancaster, and Lancaster Road, Morecambe has been closed.

Lancashire fire service said two fire engines from Lancaster and the boat from Penwortham were called to reports of a person trapped in their car in flood water on Hazelrigg Lane, Lancaster just before 3pm.

Firefighters managed to release the person from their car and they were handed over to paramedics.

Heavy rainfall has led to water levels rising through the Environment Agency’s warning threshold.