Hundreds of people have been forced to leave their homes after heavy rain and floods battered large parts of north-west England, leaving cars abandoned and cancelling trains. Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident after torrential downpours across Stockport, Bolton, Didsbury, Harpurhey, Stalybridge and Wigan - with large parts of Lancashire and Cheshire also hit on New Year's Day. Flats at Meadow Mill in Stockport were evacuated with about 400 residents being moved to a council refuge centre at Holdsworth Mill in nearby Reddish. The Britannia Country House hotel in Didsbury, Manchester, understood to be housing asylum seekers, was also evacuated with 500 guests moved out, with the use of boats.

Source: The Times January 02, 2025 01:11 UTC