Residents call for action after homes and businesses flooded in Kirkham following torrential rain

Thunderstorms and torrential rain battered parts of Lancashire on Monday evening (June 12), leaving homes, businesses and roads flooded throughout Kirkham.

Pictures from the area show Poulton Street was left submerged following the deluge of rain.

Former Fylde Councillor and ex-Kirkham Town Mayor Elaine Silverwood, who runs a business in Poulton Street, said: “The scene at Town End last night was shocking.

“As the heavy rains fell in the storm, the junction was deluged and the basements and some ground floors of shops and other properties were flooded.”

She added: “Lancashire County Council really needs to make sure it keeps on top of drain maintenance and United Utilities to look at the sewers.

“Everything possible has to be done to stop this happening when it rains heavily.”

Many residents shared the same sentiment as they fought to keep the water away from their homes, calling for better drain maintenance from Lancashire County Council.

​Coun Chris Hopkinson and Kirkham Town Mayor also said he believed the drains were part of the problem, but he did not want a “witch hunt”.

“That doesn’t serve anybody any good. What we need to do is understand clearly the roles and responsibilities within what’s happened and what’s gone wrong,” he said.

“There will be times where weather occurrences just overwhelm whatever is in place, and to a degree that is what happened.

“But there was a particular issue at Town End, for example, where it would appear once the firefighters cleared the gullies, the water drained like it was going down a sink.”

He said United Utilities inspected their sewers and found there was no problem with them, but it was the surface water drains that appeared to be blocked with silt.

Mr Hopkinson added: “What I have discovered is that due to cuts, Lancashire County Council tend to be more reactive than proactive when it comes to these issues.

“These are the consequences of that.”

Residents have been invited to a public meeting to discuss the issues.

It will take place outside The Swan in Poulton Street at 10am on Wednesday (June 14).

Lancashire County Council have been approached for comment.