RESIDENTS in Ribchester said a torrent of water crashed through their homes after a nearby brook burst its banks.

Around 20 homes in Ribblesdale Road were flooded when Boyce's Brook, a tributary of the River Ribble, overflowed into surrounding fields.

Residents Chris and Judy Freeman said the flooding was the worse they had known since they moved into their terraced house in 1970.

Chris, 60, said: "I remember looking at the field at the back of the house which very quickly became a torrent of water. It come up to the house about three feet deep, and swooped into our dining room.

"The brook isn't part of the River Ribble so there was no flood warning about it. I believe it has burst its bank before but these homes haven't been flooded like this for about 60 years."

The B6245 between Ribchester and the A59 was closed for two hours after becoming flooded when drains struggled to cope with the rain water.

Fire crews from Blackburn had to pump water off the road before it could be re-opened in the afternoon.