RESIDENTS today welcomed news that years of flooding misery could be over as £45,000 is spent on renovating ageing sewers.

The old sewers in New Lane and Thwaites Street, Oswaldtwistle, will be renovated and reinforced in the eight-week project by United Utilities, which is due to start on Monday .

Eight homes in New Lane were severely affected by flooding from the damaged sewers when they were unable to cope during heavy downpours.

Oswaldtwistle has also been badly hit by flooding in Thwaites Road and Wordsworth Close, leaving homes awash with sewerage and even rats last year.

Mrs Pat Gudgeon, of New Lane, said the cellar of her home had been flooded at least six times since 1987, including twice in six weeks last summer.

She said: "I hope to God this will work because I am fed up with it. Thank goodness something is being done about it. It is such a hassle and leaves everything such a mess.

"It's the horrible sludge that's left behind after the flooding that's really bad. And it is sewage. It means you cannot really use your cellar for anything, although I know some people along here do."

Mrs Gudgeon said she had noticed the flooding was more frequent during summer weather, when there was an unexpected downpour.

Maureen Gallagher, also of New Lane, said: "The flooding has been going on such a long time -- 17 years to my knowledge.

"We are hoping that this will do it, the work they are starting. We have been flooded here five times in the cellar, and it is hard because I do use my cellar as a room.

"We have lifted everything off the floor a bit, but we still need to use it, and it is so awful every time the flooding happens. I think we have been flooded here five times to my knowledge."

Another resident of New Lane, who asked not to be named, said: "It is such a relief to hear something is being done. It is so awful for the people up the road who get flooded. We don't mind a bit of disruption in the road if it will help."

Labour county councillor Dorothy Westell, who represents the Oswaldtwistle area, said she was delighted to hear that the area would be getting some relief from the flooding.

"I have been aware of the problems in the past in this area and I have been up on several occasions when there has been flooding.

"I am very grateful that this is now being done, but it is overdue. Those people have had real problems in the past and I just welcome anything that will alleviate that."

The work will mean Thwaites Street at its junction with New Lane will be closed to traffic, except residents.

Project engineer Andrew Nixon said: "This is a very old sewer which is now being overloaded and struggling to cope when we have very heavy, prolonged rainfall.

"We will be laying a new sewer that will strengthen and provide more capacity for the existing network."