A THREE hour downpour in Rossendale caused widespread flood damage to houses, shops and pubs.

Bacup town centre and the village of Cowpe were the most seriously hit areas, and firemen were called out to pump water from cellars.

Nine houses at Bottoms Row, Cowpe, suffered damage as rainwater swept down from the hills during the wettest July in 20 years.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.