FLOOD chaos hit the Ribble Valley yesterday with one village put on evacuation standby and workers and schoolchildren sent home early.

Householders in Ribchester prepared for the worst as the River Ribble burst its banks and the Environment Agency declared a flood red alert. Ronald Davies, of Greenside, whose house is in the flood alert zone, said the river started to subside by teatime.

"I have lived here for 17 years and there has never been a flood, although the river has been very high at times. Officers from the Environment Agency worked very hard sand-bagging houses," he said.

Pupils at Bolton-by-Bowland Primary School were sent home early as roads into the village were waterlogged.

And sandbags were used to protect the newly-refurbished Ribchester Arms, as new owners John and Carol McClurg feared they may lose everything. Carol said: "We spent thousands doing this place up and we thought we could lose the lot."

Pockets of flooding were reported in numerous locations across the Ribble Valley during the non-stop downpour. The A59 was waterlogged near the Sawley turn-off and at Northcote Manor, Longsight Road, Langho. Lanes around Newton and Slaidburn were badly affected.

Ribble Lane between Chatburn and Grindleton was impassable and the road from Clitheroe to Bradford Bridge was also treacherous. An Environment Agency spokesman said a red alert was issued in Ribchester when the River Ribble threatened to burst its banks.

"We were concerned about potentially serious flooding of houses, roads and large areas of farmland. Our officers spent the afternoon securing the most vulnerable properties with sandbags."

Bolton-by-Bowland Primary School headteacher Marilynne Ashmore said the school closed at lunchtime as parents from outlying villages became concerned about getting their children home.

A spokesman at Bolton-by-Bowland Post Office said the main road into the village from the A59 was under water by mid-afternoon. And a spokesman for Clitheroe Police said: "Driving conditions were treacherous in parts of the Ribble Valley."

An Environment Agency spokesman said the red alert was withdrawn this morning. "Thankfully, no properties flooded, but we are monitoring the situation and will be keeping a close eye on tomorrow's weather," she said.

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