DESPITE two weeks of regular torrential downpours, East Lancashire has emerged relatively unscathed, while other parts of the country have suffered badly. Chief reporter DAVID HIGGERSON looks at why this is, and what can be done to protect the area even more...

THE impact flooding can have on a community was shown at its most extreme this week.

Pictures were beamed around the world of a 10ft wall of water destroying homes, sweeping cars out to sea and leaving people stranded in the upstairs of their properties in the village of Boscastle, Cornwall.

Within an hour, the once picture-postcard village was being described by those winched to safety by RAF helicopters as 'a watery hell'.

And while investigations are continuing as to the cause of the flooding, early indications suggest a combination of factors led to the devastation - some of which have also been responsible for flooding in East Lancashire in the past.

The last widespread flooding in East Lancashire was in 2000 when homes in Barnoldswick, Sawley and Ribchester were all flooded.

Since then, localised flooding in Blackburn, Darwen, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington and Clitheroe have all hit residents hard.

Last week Laneshawbridge, parts of Rossendale and Wilpshire were all hit by floods.

But it could have been much worse, say experts, had lessons from previous years not being learned.

In the wake of the 2000 floods, a massive operation to remove built-up mounds of rocks, stones and pebbles from around bridges over the River Ribble swung into action.

That effectively increased the capacity of the river, meaning it would have to rain a lot more for the Ribble to burst its banks again.

It came close last week, but even when rainwater continued to run off the land - another factor in stricken Boscastle - the river coped.

Work has also been carried out at Low Moor and Sawley to ensure the flood risk is minimised.

Daniel Herbert, Ribble Valley Council's principal engineer, said: "Some of our high-risk areas did not experience prolonged downfalls, but work carried out by the borough council and Environment Agency has certainly helped to alleviate potential problems."

Another factor in Boscastle was debris - such as cars and trees - which were swept along by the swollen rivers and got trapped, creating a dam and holding water further back.

A similar thing happened repeatedly along the banks of the River Darwen in the Waterfall area of Blackburn. Houses and businesses were flooded on several occasions before a council scheme to rebuild a bridge was unveiled.

The new Waterfall bridge has narrower supports, making it harder for floating debris to get lodged there.

For the Environment Agency, keeping the rivers free-flowing is one of its most important tasks.

A spokesman said checks regularly took place on rivers throughout East Lancashire, and also in culverts which travelled underneath town centres.

One example is the Blakewater, which goes under Blackburn town centre.

A spokesman said: "If that flooded it could cause a lot of problems. It is about doing all we can to prevent flooding."

According to their latest figures, 2,017 homes in Burnley, Nelson and Colne, 1,447 in Clitheroe, Whalley and Accrington and 867 in Blackburn and Darwen are at risk of flooding.

Around £14million is being spent a year in Lancashire on flood defence improvements, with projects in Pendle about to get underway.

Others are being examined and a flood wall built at Walton-le-Dale is held up as an example of a successful scheme.

Residents there used to joke that the floods were as much a fixture in the calendar as Christmas and New Year. Now, following a new £4million flood defence wall, that isn't the case.

One of the main areas under investigation in Boscastle is why there wasn't any advanced warning of what was to come.

In East Lancashire several warning systems are already in operation - with more to come. Under the system, implemented in the last two years, flood warnings are issued to properties which could be threatened as waters rise, with details of what action people should take.

'Severe Flood Warnings' are issued when there is an imminent threat to life or property and immediate action is required by the public.

Such schemes operate in the Waterfall area of Blackburn, around Duckworth Street in Darwen, Blackburn's Wranglings and areas of the Ribble Valley. New schemes are being introduced in Barrowford and the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson, in the next two years.

But the concern now is that not enough people are signing up to the flood warning systems - meaning they could be caught just as off-guard about the next floods as the residents of Boscastle. Dealing with floods is, however, included in the 'emergency' booklet the Government has sent to every home, along with details of how to deal with terrorist attacks.

But for all the preparations for, and safeguards against, flooding, environmental campaigners believe more and more people will suffer the loss of belonging, homes and even relatives, unless action is taken to promote 'green issues'.

A spokesman for Friends of the Earth said: "Dangerous climate change is already happening. The storms and floods we are now seeing will get more frequent and more severe.

"We desperately need cuts in the use of coal, oil and gas to prevent the worst forecasts coming true."