BRIGHTER but blustery Weather is on its way after the wettest August for almost 50 years.

Weather forecasters are predicting a drier end to September and temperatures will remain average for this time of year.

It will make a welcome change for many Bury residents who fell victim to flash floods as nearly 12 inches of rain fell throughout August with more than 20 out of 31 days suffering heavy downpours.

One Whitefield couple were forced to abandon their car in 5ft of water in Heywood, while the rain caused havoc for Church Street residents in Ainsworth, leaving one man temporarily homeless.

Overflowing drains failed to cope with the volume of water and nine homes were flooded in Sunny Bower Street, Tottington, with the rivers Irwell and Roch close to bursting their banks.

Some Bury travel agents are claiming a boom in sunshine bookings as people planned escapes to warmer climates. Co-op Travel in The Haymarket, Bury, estimated a 2.5 per cent increase in sales for late-summer deals with a seven per cent rise in the sale of Greek holidays.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "The conditions were extremely severe and we had a huge amount of rainfall in short spaces of time so we issued flood watches across the north west. Although they are our lowest level warning, it is unusual to have to issue so many for an entire region."