Flooding victims who evacuated homes begin clean-up after river breaks banks

Residents in Lancashire have begun a clean-up after flooding saw them evacuated from their homes.

Emergency services evacuated 27 people in the village of Galgate from their homes after a river broke its banks following heavy downpours on Wednesday night.

Fire crews and Environment Agency workers remained in the village on Thursday as many residents tried to repair some of the damage caused to their homes.

Katherine Moorhouse, 35, said her family, including her five-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter, were evacuated from their home at about 11pm on Wednesday.

She said: "The water was coming down the front of our house and over the bridge like a waterfall and we were worried the children might be knocked over if we just walked out so we waited.

"The Environment Agency walked us out of the house with sticks and poles.

"I'd put sandbags in front of the door which held off the water for a while but it got up to the windowsills and started seeping through."

Her father Martin Yates, 64, was also evacuated from the home.

He said: "The water rushed down the A6, down here and before we knew it was waist-high outside, the grandkids were still upstairs and we had to wait for the agency people to come.

"They walked us all out with sticks because it was a raging torrent over here so we were worried that the kids might float away."

He added: "As soon as we opened the front door to get out we couldn't shut the front door again because there was that much water coming in."

Mrs Moorhouse said she was unsure when the family would be able to move back into the home.

Students Rory Cook, 21, and Henry Wilson, 19, said they had been watching TV downstairs in their house on Chapel Street in the village when water started to come in.

Mr Wilson said: "My feet got wet and within about half an hour we were sort of ankle to shin deep in water and we just ran around carrying the electricals and stuff upstairs. Before we knew it we were sort of waist deep in water."

Neighbour Tim Speak, 48, said he was at home at about 10pm when he noticed the water gathering outside.

He said: "The water came in through the back door.

"All my power sockets went off and my phone went dead but my lights still stayed on.

"The fire brigade came and checked to see if there was anyone elderly or young here but I stayed upstairs so I wasn't evacuated. The water probably carried on rising until about 1am."

Staff at the New Inn, where residents were initially evacuated to before being moved to another nearby pub, said water had flooded the cellar and caused damage to some of the ground floor.

Annabelle Edwards, 26, was starting to clear out her home on Thursday morning after she left to stay at a friend's house when water started coming into the property.

She said: "I think I'll need new carpets and I don't think the appliances will work now.

"I was able to move some things upstairs but I have lost things like books. I think my degree is floating round in a folder somewhere."

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