RESIDENTS were forced to paddle through raw sewage after floods which could have been avoided, a leading councillor has claimed.

Norbreck ward councillor, Peter Callow, has lashed out at United Utilities for failing to clear flooding in Norbreck and Anchorsholme after last week's downpours.

He said that flash flooding around Gretna Crescent, Luton Road, Warren Drive, Lockerbie Avenue and Mossom Lane could have been cleared much more quickly, but that 'sluice gates had not been opened' until it was too late.

United Utilities has said it is still investigating, and cannot confirm if the gates were opened.

Residents were forced to paddle through raw sewage and filthy water after Thursday's downpours.

Homeowners said water seeped from manholes in the road, causing flash flooding which quickly engulfed roadways, driveways and gardens.

And there was anger that a storm tank installed at Mossom Lane in April 2001 to help prevent floods did not seem to have worked -- despite being part of a flood prevention system costing £450,000.

Cllr Callow accused United Utilities of 'sacrificing the welfare' of Anchorsholme and Norbreck residents by "refusing to open the area's sluice gates after the severity of the flood became apparent.

"Eventually the gates were open and the flood dissipated as quickly as it had arisen, but the reluctance to do this sooner was because it would affect the quality of water supplies," he alleged.

He said a lack of council sandbags to stem the flood had 'added insult to injury'.

Both Cllr Callow and local Labour MP Mrs Humble said they feared that if a proposed office development on green space off Warren Drive went ahead the area would also lose a vital sink for surface water -- which might make flooding worse.

Mrs Humble, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, said she has already contacted United Utilities about the flooding.

"Planners need to try to combat that by having a waste water network that should be able to cope with unusual events," she said.

United Utilities spokesman John Carberry said an investigation into Thursday's flooding had begun. He said he could not confirm whether the 'sluice gates' Cllr Callow referred to, or any part of the water pumping system had not been turned on or had failed.

"The cause of the flooding has not been established yet so it wouldn't be appropriate to comment at this time."

He added: " If there's anything that went wrong then obviously we'd want to make sure it didn't go wrong in the future."