Homes flooded amid Storm Bert misery as River Irwell bursts its banks on edge of Greater Manchester - with other areas told to 'act now'

Residents have evacuated their homes after the River Irwell burst its banks on the edge of Greater Manchester.

Storm Bert has brought heavy rainfall which has seen the river forecast to rise to its highest level on record near Ramsbottom. The River Irwell reached 2.33 metres near Stubbins, but has since fallen, falling short of the record set during the Boxing Day floods in 2015.

More than 100 flood alerts and warnings have been issued across the UK with residents in 32 areas urged to 'act now'. Six of the flood warnings affect areas in and around Greater Manchester, including Horwich, Radcliffe and Ramsbottom, as well as some in Lancashire.

READ MORE: Storm Bert warning as nine places in Greater Manchester braced for flooding tonight

Events have been cancelled across the region, including Christmas lights switch-ons in Romiley and Alderley Edge, while Shaw and Crompton's was forced to move inside. The Trafford Centre's Tinsel Town Fairground and Tatton Park's Yuletide event were also closed.

Businesses in Ramsbottom town centre have also been affected by the weather with some streets flooded. Kenyon Street, where several residential properties are also located, saw water enter homes with one flooded by 2 inches despite having flood defences.

Several properties in Strongstry, around a mile north of Ramsbottom, have been flooded too with some residents leaving their homes with overnight bags on Saturday (November 23). Among them were Kath and Gemma whose home started flooding at around 1pm.

They decided to stay with parents in the next village along after the flooding caused the heating and electricity to turn off downstairs. Kath said: "We'll be back tomorrow to clear it all up. I've been here since 1998. This is my fifth flood. The first one was in 2002."

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News at around 4pm, Thomas Denton, 18, said the flat he lives in with his father had not been flooded yet. But three neighbouring properties in North Street had been flooded by then with more said to have been affected later.

Thomas was just nine years old when the Boxing Day floods of 2015 hit - but he remembers them clearly. He said this flood is worse.

His home has flood doors with flood gates fitted around the property. But he said blocked drainage means water comes from behind.

He said: "There's nothing we can really do. It is going to get worse. I think it's supposed to peak at around 6pm."

The river level near Stubbin peaked at 2.33 metres at around 4pm and has since reduced. This falls short of the record set on Boxing Day of 2015 when the River Irwell reached 2.78 metres and caused devastating flooding to many properties, including in Strongstry.

Brian Kirkwood, who is the chairman of the residents' association, said that the community is still waiting for flood defences they were promised following the Boxing Day floods. He said: "We choose to live here, but we were told that they would build a flood defence."

Residents were told in October last year that the multi-million pound flood defences planned for the Strongstry and Chatterton area would not go ahead due to a gap in funding. Brian told the M.E.N. that, as of 4pm, around 14 properties in Strongstry had been flooded.