SIX homes in Summerseat were flooded after heavy rain and strong winds battered homes and other buildings across the borough on Monday and Tuesday.

The flooding at the homes, in Hillside Gardens, next to Summerseat Garden Centre, mainly affected the basements of the properties.

A crew from Bury fire station was initially called out at 9.45pm on Monday, and remained on the scene until about midnight to make sure the homes were made safe.

Hillside Gardens resident Luke Walsh, aged 85, who relies on two hearing aids, said: “I didn’t hear the storm outside at first but I knew it was going on.

“My neighbour actually knocked on my door at 9pm and when I opened it, water came flooding through my hallway and right back past the stairs.

“I stayed up until 1am sorting out the water and used sandbags to stop the water getting in further.”

Water reached around nine foot back from the front door in the hallway of Mr Walsh’s home, where he has lived for eight years.

“Flooding has always been a problem here because of the field behind our houses which is owned by the garden centre,” added Mr Walsh, who believes a broken culvert causes water to rush down and flood the properties when heavy rain falls.

Summerseat Garden Centre owner, Mr John Ainscow, said that there were no broken culverts on his land and that the issue lies with a goit which is notorious for flooding.

“While sympathising with the affected residents they should understand the problem is not very easy to resolve.

“The goit was checked and running free in the late afternoon but during the evening, after the persistent heavy rain we were phoned to say it was overflowing.

“We immediately checked and removed a blockage mainly caused by a large piece of polythene that had come downstream.

“This stopped the water overflowing and we then went to help the neighbours by providing, and placing, sandbags from the garden centre.

“The rain had almost stopped and the goit, although very high, was taking all of the flow.

“Shortly afterwards torrential rain started again, the level of water almost immediately rose and the goit overflowed.

“We could only place more sandbags to direct the water away from the property.”

Watch commander Peter Fletcher, at Bury fire station, said: "Due to the volume of water coming down from the hills, the local drainage system couldn't cope.

"We used the main pump to remove the water back into the River Irwell.

"We later found that one of the drainage ditches was bunged up, which contributed to the problems.

"One particular lady had just done her basement up, and it was beautiful, but this has damaged it."

In addition, firefighters were called out to flooding at a communal basement at a house in Harwood Road, in Tottington, at about 9.15pm.

They were on the scene for about an hour, as they cleared away the excess water.

* In Prestwich, a tree was blown down on Tuesday night by the high winds, blocking Bury Old Road, close to Heaton Park Social Club, causing traffic delays.