A quarter of this Lytham farm is under water - could overdevelopment be a factor?

Andrew Pemberton and his son Tom say 25 per cent of Birks Farm, on Ballam Road, has been submerged.

The succession of storms in January and February have played havoc with the 220 acre dairy farm, which relies almost entirely on its grass crop to feed the cattle.

Storm Ciara and its successor, Storm Dennis, have battered the country this month and caused widespread flooding.

But Andrew, 63, says the extreme weather, which many now blame on climate change, is just one of several factors.

He said: "I believe over development is a key issue - when grassland is lost due to new housing and office estates, it has a massive impact.

"Fields soak up water like a sponge and act as a natural prevention to flooding.

"With the big developments in Fylde in recent years, that has been taken away and the water has nowhere to go.

"We are now reaping the effects of that and other factors."

Andrew says the effects won't be felt immediately but later in the year when the massive reduction of usable grass at the farm will lead to a shortfall in hay and silage.

There will also have to be large-scale re-seeding, which will also have a cost implication.

He said: "Look at our field - that is our shop floor, in effect, and it's been ruined."

The business also includes Pembertons Farm Shop, which has a home produce counter selling fresh meat and dairy items, all of it revolving around the success of the farm.

Andrew did agree, however, that the weather was getting worse.

He said: "I have grown up here and been farming all my life and we have never had so many storms - three big ones this year alone."

Tom, 27, added: "We've also got a real issue with how slowly the water is leaving.

"The water has nowhere to go."