More flooding in Lancashire as river breaches defences again

The damaged flood defences in St Michaels that workers were trying to repair before the downpour on Wednesday night. Photo: Lancashire Fire and Rescue

It was a race against time last night to patch up the damaged flood defences after heavy rain at the weekend - but it was not enough to prevent another breach this morning.

A farmer who had stayed put despite a severe flood warning that has been in place since Sunday gave into the 'inevitable' as river levels rose again overnight.

A Lancashire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "There was another breach in part of the river bank.

"For most of yesterday there was a farmer who wanted to stay but eventually he faced the inevitable and decided to leave his property."

The Environment Agency said it is now waiting for the water to subside before resuming work to repair the battered river embankment.

Dozens of sandbags were used to temporarily repair the damage from the weekend and limit the impact of last night's downpour.

The Environment Agency said 38 properties flooded over the weekend. Firefighters helped evacuate more than 20 homes when the floods first hit, although that figure has now risen following the latest breach.

The Environment Agency is waiting for the water to subside before resuming work to repair the flood defences in St Michaels. Photo: @EnvAgencyNW

It is understood all residents in immediate danger had previously been evacuated and those leaving in the last 24 hours were not ordered to leave by emergency services.

The severe flood warning remains in place in St Michaels, the last place in the country still on the highest level of alert.

The Lancashire Fire and Rescue spokesman added: "They are steadily pumping the water away. It is depending now on whatever else happens in terms of rain fall."

Environment Agency staff were joined by the military, council officers and firefighters working around the clock to repair the damage before water levels peaked again at around 8am today.

Pictures taken yesterday show the damage caused to the embankment along the River Brock, where water tore through the defences and left the village submerged.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue said it was pumping around 75,000 litres of water an hour away from St Michaels to allow repair work to take place.

Water levels in the Wyre and Brock rivers rose dangerously high in the early hours of this morning but the latest indication is they are now starting to recede.