Our reporter Erica Witherington is in Stockport, where hundreds of residents are still out of their homes following devastating flooding.

Four hundred residents had to be evacuated from flats at Meadow Mill after water flooded the car park and lower floors.

The rescue operation lasted 12 hours and residents who live in the flats, which currently have no power or water, are being told they will get updates via a WhatsApp group about when they can return.

Just over the Greater Manchester-Derbyshire border, a few miles east of Manchester, a section of the A57 in Glossop was completely flooded on Wednesday.

Video footage shows a petrol station and nearby homes engulfed with water.

These aerial shots show what the canal looks like in Little Bollington, Cheshire this afternoon.

The Bridgewater canal breached its banks on Wednesday following heavy rainfall.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Lancashire Police

Lancashire Police have poked fun at some suspected car thieves whose efforts to allegedly steal a BMW were thwarted by flooding on a road.

The force said on X, external: "The driver of this stolen vehicle was channelling their inner James Bond but mistook their BMW for a Lotus Esprit whilst being pursued.

"After abandoning the non-amphibious vehicle near Kirkham all four occupants made off but were soon located by dog handlers and arrested."

Gemma Sherlock
Journalist

A church in Haydock, St Helens, has set up a donation point for those affected by flooding in the area.

A number of homes and business were flooded at the junction of West End Road, Blackbrook Road, and Stanley Bank Way.

Neil Fairhurst, secretary at Christ Church Haydock URC, said for the flooding to happen at "a period of rest and peace" was very sad but added that he was delighted that the community had stepped up to help.

He said that residents were in need of used towels and mops for the clean-up operation.

Image source, Secret Garden Cafe

The owner of the Secret Garden Cafe in Cheadle, which was filled with water on Wednesday night, said a major clean-up effort involving the whole family was under way.

Charlotte Barber-Bennett said all of her staff, plus her parents and her six-year-old child, had been in since 8am to help.

She said the ankle-deep water had subsided overnight, and she was aiming to reopen by Saturday.

She said: “It’s not been as bad as I thought.

“We lost a couple of fridges and freezers and some produce but other than that I think we’re OK.”

A major clean-up operation is ongoing after scores of people were evacuated from their homes due to flooding across Lancashire.

In Ormskirk, west Lancashire, an evacuation centre was set up, while over in east Lancashire, homes in Ribchester were also affected.

Landlord Sam Hubbard managed to save the Ribchester Arms pub from flooding - but her own home was hit.

Ms Hubbard said a brook at the rear of her home burst its banks and flood water damaged flooring and carpet.

Greater Manchester's Mayor Andy Burnham commended the work of the emergency services that worked over the New Year period to “look after people”.

He said there would now be a review of the emergency response, including whether there was sufficient warning given by government agencies.

Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester: “We do have to look back at the warnings, there wasn’t a named storm, there wasn’t a particular warning the authorities were giving.”

He added: “We were all taken by surprise to some degree.”

Flood mitigation infrastructure like drainage also needed to be looked at, particularly after the region had been hit by several major storms in recent months, he said.

Image source, JMG Press

The A555 Manchester Airport relief road is still closed due to flooding.

At one stage on Wednesday its closure, along with other flooding incidents, meant the town of Handforth was cut off.

The closure is in place on the A555 from Ringway Road West to Stanley Green roundabout and Bramhall Oil Terminal roundabout.

Image source, Bee Network

Yellow warnings for ice and snow have been issued in Lancashire and parts of Greater Manchester.

A three day warning, external for snow has been issued from Saturday to Monday.

The warnings are for wintry showers on Saturday with snow and sleet arriving in the early hours of Sunday.

The Britannia Country House hotel in Didsbury, Manchester, was also evacuated with 500 guests moved out on Wednesday.

Didsbury Mosque is one of a few evacuation centres providing support.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said: “An asylum accommodation hotel in Manchester has been affected by severe flooding in the area.

“The Home Office is working closely with the local council and emergency services. All individuals have been evacuated to safety and provided with alternative accommodation.”

Drone footage captured the aftermath when part of an embankment on the Bridgewater Canal in Cheshire collapsed on Wednesday.

Fields by the canal, near the village of Little Bollington, close to Altrincham, were inundated with water.

Cheshire Police said nearby properties were evacuated and a section of the M56, previously closed, was now reopen.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said its control room received 400 calls for assistance on Wednesday as Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident due to flooding.

Those who heeded warnings to stay home on Wednesday have been commended by emergency services who are also urging residents to do the same today.

Ben Norman, deputy chief fire officer at GMFRS, said: “With freezing conditions and lots of pooled water about, that’s a dangerous recipe.”

Image source, Greg Mape

Ben Norman, deputy chief fire officer at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services, said the Meadow Mill flats in Stockport remained without power and water after the building flooded on Wednesday.

Mr Norman told BBC Radio Manchester that 400 residents were still displaced after being evacuated in an operation that lasted 12 hours, when water flooded the car park and lower floors of the building.

"We’ll work hard today with people like Electricity North West and the local council to help get people back into their homes," he said.

Gemma Sherlock
Journalist

Flood warnings and alerts previously in place across the North West have now been lifted by the Environment Agency.

The only areas where flood warnings and alerts are active are as follows:

• River Douglas at Parbold, Lancashire - flood warning
• River Douglas at Rufford, Ormskirk, Lancashire - flood alert

Gemma Sherlock
Journalist

Diane Taylor, a narrowboat owner who is currently housed on the Bridgewater canal at Dunham Massey, in Cheshire, told the BBC that she usually travelled along the canal every two to three days but the flooding had prevented her from being able to move.

She said: "I think we might be stuck here for months."

Gemma Sherlock
Journalist

Despite flood water easing, several roads remain closed across the region, with train and bus services cancelled or delayed.

Northern said it had cancelled or altered rail services between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield and New Mills Central due to severe flooding.

Travellers are being urged to check before they travel and to stay away from flood water.

Gemma Sherlock
Journalist

Gabrielle Dainty, who lives in Lymm, in Warrington, told the Today programme that her house flooded on New Year's Eve as the "bell struck".

She said: "It was really unexpected."

Residents in the area said that following Storm Christoph, flood defences were placed outside the doors but this time Ms Dainty said the water came through the floor which made the defences "useless".

Professor Steven Broomhead, chief executive of Warrington Borough Council said the council was not "slow off the mark" in the recovery and clean-up operation.

Gemma Sherlock
Journalist

More than 1,000 people have been evacuated across the North West following major flooding with evacuation centres opened to deal with those who remain displaced.

Five hundred residents were evacuated from the Britannia Hotel in West Didsbury on Wednesday and more than 400 have been moved from flats at Meadow Hill in Stockport.

Areas are still being monitored as evacuation centres have opened in Wigan, Stockport and in Ormskirk, Lancashire.