Lancashire was battered with stormy weather and bulging rivers as torrential rain soaked the region on Wednesday.

Have you been affected by the floods? Call oure reporter Melanie Wallwork on (01772) 838107

And it is set to get even worse with forecasters predicting further strong winds and heavy rain through Thursday and into the weekend.

Heavy rain flooded streets, closed schools, caused accidents and 50 pupils had to be rescued from a stranded school bus.

The north of the county will bear the brunt, with the rest of the county suffering only light rain. Conditions will deteriorate further from Friday afternoon.

People living near the River Darwen at Higher Walton have been told to prepare for the possibility their homes could flood after the Environment Agency issued a flood warning.

The River Ribble at Walton-le-Dale and Samlesbury and the Savick Brook in Fulwood and Cadley are also on flood watch.

Alan Goodman, the North West advisor at the Met Office, said: "Areas closest to the Lancashire-Cumbria border can expect rain throughout Thursday morning which will work its way down the county. We have certainly not seen the end of this stormy weather."

Howling winds and rain battered towns and cities across Lancashire on Wednesday. A spokesman for the Environment Agency said it was warning people in Higher Walton to be prepared to act if water levels in the River Darwen continued to rise.

She said: "People living close to affected parts of the River Ribble and Savick Brook can expect flooding on low-lying land and roads."

>> Vote in our latest web poll

LEP Clocks: Countdown – and countup to future and past events