Heavy rain warning for Burnley as Storm Christoph approaches

Up to 2.75in. of rain is forecast to fall within 48 hours in the hardest-hit areas with potential flooding a risk throughout the region.

The downpours are set to last throughout Tuesday and Wednesday,

Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham urged residents to stay alert and said the Environment Agency was keeping the situation under review.

He said: "This will be falling on ground that is already very wet and is being added to by snow melt in the upper catchment areas (where rivers start), meaning there is some concern about the possibly of flooding.

"That said it's important to note that the Environment Agency hasn't yet issued any flood warnings for our area.

"They are keeping this under review and I'll be in contact with them throughout tomorrow and the rest of the week to understand what impact the rainfall could have locally in Padiham, Burnley and our villages."

John Davies, head of Lancashire County Council highways, said: "We always respond to reports of flooding as quickly as we can, and whatever the problem our teams will do their best to help.

"Our teams have already been checking culverts and drains which are vulnerable to becoming blocked, and will be on standby to respond to any reports of flooding we receive.

"During heavy and persistent rain such as has been forecast this week we can expect there to be some surface water flooding, and I would ask people to be very careful on the roads. If you encounter a flooded road, please stop and turn around rather than put yourself at risk.

"As we have seen during past flooding incidents, the sheer volume of water can lead to drainage systems becoming overwhelmed, and it is often the case that the water will only be able to drain away once the storm has subsided and river levels have lowered, so I would also ask people to be patient.

"If people are worried that a highways drain has become blocked by debris it’s worth being aware that this can often be dealt with by brushing the debris aside and clearing it away.

"However, please only do this if it's safe as we would never want anyone to put themselves at risk.

"We do of course respond to all reports of flooding that we receive, but particularly when storms are ongoing we have to prioritise the most serious flooding issues."

Further information can be found on Burnley Council's website here.