EAST Lancashire can look forward to some sunny and warm weather this week after days of torrential downpours and squally winds.

The Met Office is predicting more settled weather for the region in the coming days, which should provide some respite for those who got caught in the heavy showers at the weekend.

Cricket matches were called off due to water-logged grounds and visitors to Chorley’s food festival had to brave the rain to try some of the delicacies on offer.

But it was not all doom and gloom. Children put on their wellies and went splashing in the puddles in Blackburn’s Witton Park made by the streams of water.

And a spokeswoman for the Met Office said although there was no heatwave on the way, drier, brighter weather was set to shine on East Lancashire. She said that today high pressure would move across the country causing things to become much more settled.

She said: “Temperatures will recover quickly in the morning and there will be some sunshine and fewer showers.

“There is potential for there to a little bit of fog tomorrow morning because it will have been quite warm and there will have been quite a lot of moisture around. But it will clear and we are looking at there being mainly sunshine.”

The temperatures are set to continue to rise until Saturday, which should be the best day of the week.

She added: “I would not be surprised if on Saturday, in sheltered areas, at some point you might see 20C.

“There is potential for there to be more cloud than sunshine but it will be warm.”

But do not put your umbrellas away yet. Forecasters think the unsettled, wet weather could return by Sunday.

Rain is due to arrive from the North West, meaning the region will be one of the first in the country to be hit by showers and cooler temperatures.