Warning zone expanded to stop repeat major flooding

Flood warnings have been extended to cover more of Greater Manchester after last New Year's Eve's torrential rain - led to the flooding of hundreds of homes and a major incident being declared.

Almost 1,000 people had to be evacuated from homes, with flooding also affecting parts of Lancashire and Cheshire. The River Mersey recorded its highest level - and the Bridgewater Canal collapsed in Cheshire.

The Environment Agency says it has expanded its flood warning service to further cover about 800 homes and businesses in the Cheadle area of Stockport and Platt Bridge area of Wigan.

A spokesman said: "It will allow even more people to take action - and stay safe if flooding is likely to occur."

Persistent torrential rain led to the significant flooding - with places like Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, and Meadow Mill in the centre of Stockport affected.

It was particularly bad in the Platt Bridge and Bickershaw areas of Wigan.

Doreen McCracken, who lives in the Gatley area of Stockport, said the inside of her house flooded with the disruption lasting for months.

"We looked out the window and the whole street was knee deep in water and there was nothing we could do," she said.

Flooding 3in (7.5cm) deep saw floorboards ripped up and industrial strength humidifiers required for several weeks to get rid of the damp in the home.

"It's just a nightmare, I hope we don't have to go through it again," she said.

The rain event was not technically a storm, so was not named as such by the Met Office, but Great Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said at the time this had "led to a worse situation than the others [weather events] that we have been warned about".

The Met Office had issued an amber weather alert for heavy rain and the EA issued a flooding warning on the afternoon of New Year's Eve.

A major incident was not declared by the emergency services, in which extra crews are called in, until the early hours of New Year's Day. Burnham said he felt they were "taken by surprise to some degree".

However, about 17,000 homes were estimated to have been protected by defences on the River Mersey - at Didsbury and Sale. They were also used at Lilford Park, in Leigh, and next to the River Irwell in Salford.

Jamie Woodward, a geography professor at the University of Manchester, said more investment was needed to make homes more resilient to flooding.

"We've seen some of the biggest floods recorded on the Mersey in the last five years - we are going to see challenging times ahead so we are in an era of bigger, more, and frequent floods, and we have to be prepared for that," he added.

Work to repair the breach in the Bridgewater Canal, which collapsed near Dunham Massey, is expected to begin in the summer - and should be completed by the end of 2026.

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