HUDDERSFIELD bore the brunt of another night of storms.

Nearly three inches of rain fell in two hours.

Roads became lakes, houses were hit by flash floods and homes were struck by lightning.

Some of the worst problems were in Milnsbridge, where a five-year-old girl and her grandfather were hurt when a wall collapsed close to Crow Lane Junior, Infant and Nursery School.

Both were trapped in the fallen masonry. The girl was freed by bystanders and suffered minor injuries.

A man in his 40s, thought to be her grandfather, was taken to hospital and kept in for treatment.

The rain started in the early afternoon and thundered to a climax with a spectacular lightning storm at about 5pm.

The emergency services were swamped with calls, with West Yorkshire Fire Brigade receiving almost 500 calls between 5pm and 8pm.

People living in Bridgecroft, Milnsbridge, fought without success to stop the water getting into their homes. Today they are mopping up the mess it has left behind.

Helen Ainley and husband John, both 52, were devastated.

Helen, lollipop lady at Crow Lane JIN School, said: "I have lived here since 1986 and it has never been this bad.

"When we saw the floods starting we went outside and tried to stop the water getting near but we had no chance, the water just came over the sandbags we had delivered on Tuesday.

"I had a new suite, carpet and television that will be ruined.

It is going to take a lot of clearing up. I am so upset for the other people who live down here as well. A lot are elderly."

Sanja Simic, 16, and her six-month-old son Jayron came home after a shopping trip to find their home under 3ft of water.

She said: "I am shocked. I cannot believe it, I have only just moved in here and I haven't got around to getting insurance for my things yet.

"My cream carpet and sofa are going to be ruined."

Other areas badly hit were Lockwood, Longwood, Newsome Road South, between Berry Brow and Newsome and Lindley. Norman Park, in Birkby, was also under water.

Lightning blasted the Almondbury home of an electrical engineer.

Kevin Aston, 48, was just pulling into his drive when the bolt slammed into the bungalow in Forest Road at 4.40pm.

"It hit the side of the house," said his son Paul, a 27-year-old textile worker who lives at the address with his dad and mother Julie, 47.

"I heard a big bang and some of the pebbles off the stone wall hit the window. Then I smelt burning."

Although the strike did not damage the house, it ruined the family's £3,000 entertainment system - a DVD player, computer and television.

A house in Burniston Drive, Oakes, was also struck by lightning just after 6pm.

The chimney pot was blown up, water pipes in the attic fractured and electrical appliances damaged.