BOLTON has been hit by one of the heaviest rainfalls in years which caused mayhem across the town.

Residents from across the region spent hours mopping up gallons of water from their homes after Friday's flash floods.

Storms rained down on the town at tea-time causing water to cascade into the hallways, living rooms and cellars of properties.

And motorists were driving in first gear through deep water on dozens of Bolton's roads.

The weather also affected television sets in Horwich and Bolton town centre which use the NTL service.

In total, busy firefighters were called out to 780 flood calls all over Greater Manchester between 5pm and 12 midnight.

Five houses in Thorn Well, Westhoughton, were left under three feet of water, destroying carpets and furniture.

The River Croal burst its banks causing a heavy flood at Smiths Road, Moses Gate.

Adlington was also badly affected by the torrential rain with fire crews called to dozens of incidents in the village. Railway Road turned into a river as water flowed past houses.

Meanwhile, people living in a terrace of houses in Bradshaw Brow, Bradshaw, found their carpets soaked and their electrical equipment dangerously wet.

They spent much of Friday soaking up the water -- and putting preventative measures in place.

Carol Newton, aged 59, has been repeatedly hit by flooding. She said: "More drains are needed around here. Because we are on a slope, the water keeps pouring into the cellar."

The subway under St Peter's Way at the bottom of Churchbank, Bolton, was under water.

Horwich also suffered with traffic coming to a standstill near the Beehive roundabout. Motorists travelling towards Bolton had to battle through Chorley New Road, which was deep in water.

And in Pocket Nook Road, Lostock, people arrived home to find their houses under eight inches of water.

They blamed inadequate draining on a nearby new housing estate and a culvert having burst its banks.

Christine Walsh, aged 46, who lives with her 48-year-old husband, David, in a three-bedroom cottage, said: "It's been like Niagara Falls. The rain just kept coming down and everywhere is flooded.

"We didn't dare open the door but the water was coming in anyway. Carpets and furniture are ruined."

Firefighters were also called to the Lostock Arms after the cellar became flooded with two-feet of water. Motorists driving in Daisy Hill at the junction of Hindley Road and Turner Street became stuck as water levels rose.

"One woman got out of her car and was thigh deep in water," said Alan Brown, aged 47.

Beaumont Road in Lostock was also under a couple of feet of water.

And Asda, in Moss Bank Way, Astley Bridge, was closed due to flooding.

In Harwood, Tottington Road was "like a river" according to a resident as motorists battled through six inches of rain.

"The drains are full of silt," she added. "Bolton's roads just cannot cope."

Fire crews from Bury and Leigh were also called to Bolton to help with the clean up. Pumps attended floods at the Duckworth Arms, in Ramsbottom, and the Bridge Trading Estate, off Bolton Road, in Bury.

A pump from Atherton fire station helped to draw water from Briar Close, Hindley Green, between 5pm and 3am today, where seven houses were affected by the floods.

Commuters also suffered when many train services in Bolton and Bury had to be cancelled.

Weather experts at the Met Office said the doom and gloom of June was to be expected.

There has been 41.2mm of rain in Bolton over the past two weeks, which is 50 per cent of the monthly average -- or par for the course.

Meteorologists are hopeful the weather will improve but their charts say there will be more rain over the next few weeks.

Met Office spokesman Sean Clarke said: "June has not started off very well and we predict there will be a lot of rain over the coming days."