UK floods: 70 people and horses rescued in Lancashire

More than 70 people and 20 horses had to be rescued from floods in Lancashire as bad weather hit the UK.

Emergency crews received more than 500 calls, with Lancaster and Galgate the worst affected places.

Roads were shut and rail services suspended by floods in north Wales and snow is forecast across Scotland.

There are currently five flood warnings in place in the north west, which forced rail services to run at a reduced speed.

Emergency crews received up to 500 calls with Lancaster and Galgate the areas worst affected

More than 30 properties were pumped out and a number of people rescued from vehicles in parts of North Yorkshire.

The Met Office said around 1.7in (4.3cm) of rain had fallen in 24 hours in parts of Lancashire, with United Utilities saying rainfall had reached "unprecedented levels".

Lancaster University's weather station said it has recorded its highest ever rainfall total.

In the 24 hours from 09:00 GMT Wednesday the station at Hazelrigg said 73.6mm of rain had fallen - the highest level in more than 50 years since the centre started weather observations.

The levels were higher than Storm Desmond in December 2015 when about 5,200 homes were flooded in Cumbria and Lancashire and 42,000 homes in the Lancaster area lost power after an electricity sub-station flooded.

Storm Desmond recorded 59.7mm of rain in a 24 hour period.

One lane on the M6 motorway southbound remains closed, between junctions 35 and 36 but the A6 at Galgate has been reopened.

Rail users in Carnforth, Lancashire, had to take evasive action when the station flooded

The main route through Galgate was closed

Five hundred properties mainly in Blackpool, Thornton-Cleveleys and Poulton on the Fylde coast, are without power due to the weather, Electricity North West confirmed.

Rail lines that were shut between Preston and Lancaster have reopened, according to Virgin Trains, and have now resumed normal service.

A number of schools were shut for the day because of the weather, including Ellel Primary School in Galgate, Moor Park Primary School in Bispham, Royal Brook Primary in Thornton-Cleveleys and Cardinal Allen High School in Fleetwood.

Ms Wild said her cooker, washer, dishwasher boiler were "all gone"

People had to abandon their cars and homes were flooded when the River Conder in Galgate burst its banks on Wednesday evening.

Lancaster resident Maggie Wild, whose cellar was flooded, said: "[I] came home and thought it is pretty high and it is still going to rain all night so I better start moving stuff out of the way.

"It just came in faster and faster... and there came a point when we were bucketing it out and we had pumps going on it."

The River Conder in Galgate burst its banks

She said: "It was bucket versus river and the river won."

She added her cooker, washer, dishwasher boiler were "all gone".

Student Henry Wilson from Galgate said water got up to the top of his thigh - reaching the third step of the stairs in his house.

He said water started seeping in the front door… but then "flew into the house" once it got through the back door.

"We couldn't believe how quickly it happened."

He said it felt like a film with "furniture floating about".

Henry Wilson has spent the morning clearing up his home

Zak Burnell said the water was waist deep in Limerick Road, Bispham, Blackpool and residents used sandbags from the nearby roadworks.

Electricity North West said the weather had caused "intermittent power cuts" in Preston and Ulverston.

The Environment Agency said its staff had been on the ground overnight and will be checking flood defences.

"Our actions have protected more than 6,000 properties," said Sheena Engineer, national flood duty manager.

Showers 'easing'

Flooding has also affected the Devonshire Road area of Blackpool, which is currently a diversion route for traffic because the Promenade is shut while tram network extension work is under way.

Devonshire Road is closed between Mansfield Road and Warley Road.

The A583 in Kirkham was also closed in both directions between Ribby Road and Fox Lane Ends.

Lancaster City Council tweeted it has teams in the worst-hit areas, clearing debris from roads and pavements.

According to BBC Weather, blustery showers will ease off later and many places will have a dry night.

In Wales, people were rescued from flooded vehicles in Bethesda, firefighters pumped out water from homes at Bethel and there have been landslips.

Llangefni town centre was flooded by 3ft (90cm) of water overnight.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it took more than 250 flood-related calls overnight.