Parked drivers watched on in amazement as dramatic scenes unfolded during the flood chaos which hit Lancashire and other parts of the UK.

Several people parked up at the Tickled Trout hotel and nearby petrol station to watch in amazement as the raging torrent rose up bridge parapets carrying tree trunks and debris as it swirled through the bridge arches underneath roads at junction 31 of the M6.

The river, which finally burst at around 1pm on Monday, rose threateningly close to the back of the hotel and homes off the A59.

The rising water also cut off access roads to Lower Brockholes Quarry at Samlesbury. Lorries were forced to drive through the rising floodwater on the remaining access roads.

Staff at Brockholes Wetland & Woodland Nature Reserve narrowly escaped being trapped by surging flood water as the River Ribble burst its banks.

Twelve staff escaped the former quarry in their cars at around noon, just moments before the river surged over the banks covering the entire area.

Peter Mallon, from Lancashire Wildlife Trust, fears the situation could "get worse before it gets better" and has warned people to stay well away from the area.

He said: "We have had to abandon the site - all the access roads are flooded and completely blocked.

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"If they had left it much longer they would have been stuck.

"There is a footpath there, people should not go anyway near it - stay well away."

The centre's buildings have not been hit, but Mr Mallon said it would be disastrous if they were caught.

He said: "The buildings were put in by the previous occupants - they are not at an ideal level.

"I dread to think what it will cost if the buildings are flooded.

"The forecast was bad but nobody expected it to be this bad - it could go up before it goes down."

>> Advice for those at flood risk

Lancashire Police mounted its helicopter in a bid to monitor the situation.

Motorway officer Mark Calleson-Catterick, who has worked for the force for 20 years, said: "I have never seen the Ribble this bad. It is grim. It has been horrendous."

Floods and standing water on Lancashire's motorway network sparked a series of accidents.

Officers at the motorway unit at Samlesbury were alerted to 20 crashes between 5am and noon.

The situation at Higher Walton worsened when the River Lostock burst its banks close to the M6 flooding nearby farmland.

Inspector Phil Cottam, Lancashire Constabulary' s head of motorway policing, said: "The driving conditions at the minute can only be described as horrendous.

"I would urge motorists to slow down and use their commonsense.

"Standing water on the motorways is making it difficult for people to drive and I would ask them to make sure they follow the matrix signs.

"There is also a lot of flooding on the local roads and it can be difficult to judge just how deep the water is, so if you can avoid driving through a huge puddle then please do."

* In February 1995 hundreds of families were evacuated in the middle of the night when the River Ribble burst its banks.

More than 20 homes in Kings Croft and Church Brow, Walton-le-Dale were evacuated just after 3am when the Ribble threatened to flood their homes.

They were evacuated to safety at the Yew Tree pub until waters receded.
Nearby rivers Hodder, Dunsop and Lune also burst their banks when over four inches of water flooded Lancashire.

>> Flood chaos hits homes, schools and roads (with video)

>> Trains brought to a standstill

>> Town hall clock falls victim to rain

See Tuesday's Lancashire Evening Post for more stories and pictures on the floods.

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