CANAL boaters were rescued after their vessel became stranded in a lock last nght.

As floods hit the Calder Valley, devastating the Todmorden and Hebden Bridge areas, firefighters from Brighouse used their rescue boat to help a number of people.

The most serious saw them come to the aid of a canal boat stuck in a dangerous position in a lock on the Rochdale Canal at Hebden Bridge.Six people were brought to safety from the boat at 9pm last night.

In Brighouse, the swollen River Calder breached its banks briefly, flooding a number of properties near the town centre.

Top Link Taxis on Bridge End at Rastrick Bridge was one property hit. Water levels peaked at about 4am and flowed into the building's cellar.

Click here for a gallery of images from this morning in flooded Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge

Police closed off the road but it was re-opened at about 8am this morning.In Dewsbury, the heavy rain saw two feet of water water flow into the sports centre's swimming pool filtration plant.

Firefighters were called at 11.25pm amid fears the plant's electrics could be affected.They monitored the situation for more than an hour but the water eventually receded.