A councillor has said she will be writing to the council's highways boss asking for further measures to be put in place at a ford in the wake of a man's death after his car entered the water during Storm Bert.

Cllr Sarah Cockburn-Price, the Conservative representative for Boulsworth and Foulridge in Pendle, said it was "very sad" after the police confirmed the death of an 80-year-old man on Saturday (November 23).

Police were called to the incident in Cockhill Lane at around 4.15pm on Saturday after a car entered the for during Storm Bert, which battered the region across the weekend.

Cllr Sarah Cockbur-PriceCllr Sarah Cockbur-Price (Image: Pendle Borough Council)

He and a woman in her 80s were taken to hospital but the man was pronounced dead, while the woman remains there in a non-life-threatening condition.

Cllr Cockburn-Price told the Lancashire Telegraph: "There was an immense turnout by the emergency services.

"It was clearly a major operation. Obviously, it's very sad.

"His poor family, and so close to Christmas as well. It's just really sad. It sounds like they rescued his wife, which is wonderful, but sadly they couldn't save him.

Cockhill Lane, FoulridgeCockhill Lane, Foulridge (Image: Google Maps)

"What I am doing is writing to the head of highways at Lancashire County Council (Cllr Rupert Swarbrick) asking for some poles to be put up at each entrance of the ford showing its depth.

"Apparently there used to be some there but there has been loads of refurbishment of this ford.

"Lancashire County Council spent an absolute fortune making it wider and better flowing. Perhaps this small measure might make people think twice.

"It's a habitual route for people to cut through from Colne to Foulridge, it shaves minutes off the journey.

"In extreme weather, which we're getting more of because of climate change, people need to perhaps think twice."

Cllr Rupert SwarbrickCllr Rupert Swarbrick (Image: Lancashire County Council)

A police statement on Saturday said the man's death was not being treated as suspicious and a file would be passed to the coroner in due course.

Storm Bert caused widespread disruption across East Lancashire over the weekend, with residents and businesses being left with a huge clean-up operation due to the flooding.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said it was inundated with calls on Saturday and that crews rescued two people trapped in a car in Market Street, Bacup.

At least four deaths have been reported across the UK over the weekend due to weather-related incidents.