PEOPLE are being warned severe weather is set to hit the area this weekend. 

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for 'heavy and persistent' rain in the North West. 

The Environment Agency also warned that Greater Manchester - along with Cumbria, Lancashire and North and West Yorkshire - are the areas most at risk from significant river and localised surface water flooding on Saturday evening and into Sunday.

The flood risk comes as heavy, persistent rain is expected to affect parts of northern England, with a month's rain potentially falling on localised high ground on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, following days of wet and windy weather, the agency said.

People who live within the vicinity of the River Irwell should prepare for the possibility of flooding. 

Craig Woolhouse, the Environment Agency's director of incident management, said: "River levels across northern England are already high and are expected to rise with this further heavy rainfall, bringing with them a significant risk of flooding.

"We are working closely with the emergency services and partners to prepare ahead of the weekend.

"Our teams are already in action clearing watercourses, maintaining existing defences and standing ready to deploy temporary pumps and defences where these can be effective."

The Environment Agency is also urging people not to drive through flood water, warning that just 1ft (30cm) of water is enough to move a car.

The Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather warning over the weekend as a slow-moving front brings heavy and persistent rain.

Many areas covered by the warning are likely to see 2.8-3.9in (70-100mm) of rain, while some more exposed parts of north west England could see as much as 5.9-7.9in (150-200mm).

Such heavy rain on already saturated ground is likely to lead to flooding from standing water or from rivers bursting their banks, the Met Office warns.

The forecaster said: "The remnants of ex-hurricane Kate is moving across the Atlantic having lost its tropical characteristics and has now become an Atlantic depression.

"This slow moving frontal system is bringing moist tropical air across the UK from the west resulting in some heavy and persistent rain, especially over exposed west facing hills."

The outlook remains unsettled into next week.