COUNCILS have been defending the way last week's floods were handled.

John Schofield, technical manager for Hyndburn Borough Council, said: "We may have had some success stories in that some areas which we may have expected to flood in the past have not done on this occasion following works we have undertaken.

"In other areas further works may be required but unfortunately we don't hold the purse-strings for this and will be looking to United Utilities with regard to the public sewerage problems.

"In terms of investigatory work we probably got around three months of work in two hours. If major capital expenditure is required this is out of our hands as it is the responsibility of United Utilities."

A spokesman for United Utilities said: "On Friday there was exceptional weather which caused flash floods. This is unusual and we are working with the council which is also responsible for highways and drainage.

"In the meantime we are advising people to make sure their house insurance is up to date and if they have any problems to get in touch with their insurers."

Senior council officers from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council spent hours on Friday night and Saturday assessing damage caused by the torrential downpours and handing out sandbags.

Blackburn with Darwen's council leader, Coun Bill Taylor, praised the efforts of staff who had coped under difficult circumstances.

He said: "I thought the operation seemed to go pretty efficiently. I was with the senior officers while they were out for most of Friday evening and Saturday morning and they were regularly getting calls through.

"It was exceptional circumstances - I heard it was something like two inches of rain. I had been travelling myself, so I was aware how bad it was.

"I think, given the very unusual weather, we did a very good job. I know that the officers were still out seeing people on Saturday afternoon."

Hyndburn council leader Ian Ormerod said it would take massive investment and major engineering work to upgrade the current facilities.

He said: "There are overflow chambers under the road but when you get 58 millimetres of rainfall inside two hours, just think how massive some of those chambers would have to be to accommodate that.

"I thought they coped magnificently but one of the problems we are facing is privatisation.

"It's only through having local authorities we can cope with these situations.

"I think it's a terrific advert for local authorities. They have the manpower and vehicles to move about when these disasters happen. The private sector doesn't have that flexibility."

He said emergency plans for eventualities such as the storms went according to plan.

"There was a plan which was put into operation. But if people couldn't get through on the phones, it must have been because the lines were jammed."