RESIDENTS have been placed on flood alert after torrential rain wreaked havoc across East Lancashire and left some homes waterlogged for the third time in two years.

Barnoldswick, Earby and Laneshawbridge were among the worst affected areas as the Environment Agency issued an alert.

Today County Coun David Whipp said he would ensure everything possible was done to prevent a repeat of the flooding which has affected some people for the third time in less than two years.

One call to police involved a Nissan Micra spotted "floating" down Keighley Road, Laneshawbridge, in two feet of water.

A number of motorists also had to be rescued from the flooded road in the same area at about 2am when a Land Rover was used to pull out the stranded vehicles from the water.

Sgt Geoff Simmons said: "We and the council both received lots of calls.

"There were concerns about the high level of the river in the Newbridge area of Barrowford which has had flooding problems in the past."

Residents in Ghyll Meadows, Barnoldswick, were flooded for the third time in under two years.

Anne-Louise Naylor lost all her furniture in October 2000 when her bungalow was flooded.

Today she had to watch for a second time as the water levels rose around the houses, which are opposite the Rolls Royce sports ground and situated close to a dip in the road.

She said: "We have tried to get as much of our furniture off the ground as possible but being in a bungalow there is not really anywhere for it to go.

"The water is not as high as last time. The toilet was bubbling all night and that's always the first sign.

"We will have to stay with my mother in law until it is sorted again."

Graeme Crook, whose house was also flooded, said: "We were alerted at about 7.20am by our next door neighbour and the water started coming into our house at about 7.45am.

"We managed to get a lot of our furniture upstairs this time but last time we had flooding it cost us around £40,000.

"The water just comes in too quickly and that's what happened last time."

John Phethean, divisional officer at Lancashire Fire and Rescue, said: "Seven houses were flooded when we arrived and water was evidently rising from the field across Skipton Road with the potential to cause further serious flooding.

"We ordered two further appliances initially with a view to pumping the water from outside the houses into the canal about a quarter of a mile away and we very quickly ordered an additional pump to supplement the hose required for that operation.

"We also confirmed that an additional larger pump had been ordered by the council and we ordered more sandbags to try and raise the level of the bank on the field to stop the water from coming through.

"As far as I am concerned the only long term solution should be to employ some kind of warning device when the level of water in the field starts to rise which could possibly be linked to a pumping system."

Sandra Edwards, another resident in Ghyll Meadows, said: "We asked the police if they could close the main road as the cars coming through were causing a small tidal wave, pushing the water towards our houses.

"Once it starts coming through there's no stopping it."

There were also calls about water on the road on the Padiham by-pass at near to Harpers Lane and residents of Trent Row, Foulridge, reported water coming up through the floorboards of the cottages. The Fire and Rescue Service received calls to localised flooding in Edward Street, Barnoldswick and Skipton Road and Victoria Street, Earby.

Train services between Leeds and Manchester were disrupted because of flooding on the line at Walsden near Todmorden. Rail passengers were taken on their journeys by coach.

The Environment Agency said flood warnings were in also in place for Ribchester and areas of the Ribble Valley near the River Ribble.

A spokesman added: "More flooding is certainly possible in these areas and people should be prepared and aware of rising water levels."

Police said there had been problems on the roads especially in Colne, Barrowford, Clitheroe and Whalley.

The weather forecast for the next two days is further wet weather across the county with drier conditions expected by Wednesday.