Thanks to all our public services during the floods, says Greater Manchester Mayor

Greater Manchester Mayor, Tony Lloyd has thanked the public services for their response to the floods that caused widespread devastation in the region.

Mr Lloyd said: "The last twenty four hours have been both unexpected and unprecedented in the way Greater Manchester suffered at the impact of the flooding and the way in which our public services, utilities and individual volunteers, working together, responded to the challenge.

"Fortunately there has been no loss of life or recorded serious injury which is hard to believe but is a measure of the response provided by all involved.

"All our thoughts are with those whose Christmas was destroyed when they were driven from their homes or now trying to put their homes and lives back together.

"I want to offer my special thanks to all those who were there to help those in need when that need was at its greatest. The public are rightly grateful to each and everyone for little acts of kindness through to the response needed that made people feel safe and let them know that things would be alright.

"Greater Manchester has done its bit and now we look to the government to play a part. We need a quick announcement on government funding to help individuals, families and businesses get back to where they were. We need certainty for those who have lost so much especially those who couldn't afford insurance. And we need a quick turnaround of claims in a non-bureaucratic way that is really designed to help.

"We need early consultation about dredging and the building of adequate flood defences to help us prevent problems in the future.

"We need government to make it clear how it will partner the people of Greater Manchester in the low carbon strategies that can reduce the impact of future climate change not simply here but around the world."