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About 150 properties in Greater Manchester are believed to have been flooded during Storm Ciara - and the number could rise further.

But hundreds more homes and businesses were 'successfully protected' by flood defence schemes, the Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said.

Greater Manchester was battered by hurricane force winds and widespread flooding as Sunday's storm caused havoc.

Bury bore the brunt of the damage with residents in Radcliffe and Redvales evacuated and homes in Ramsbottom flooded.

Firefighters rescued some residents trapped by the rising waters.

On Warth Road in Radcliffe 13 homes flooded, the damage was so bad their owners were forced to seek hotels or relatives' sofas for the night.

Ms Villiers said between 40 and 80 millimetres of rain had fallen within 24 hours across much of northern England.

The highest levels were recorded in Cumbria with 179.8mm.

Ms Villiers told the Commons on Monday: "Particularly severe impacts have been felt in Yorkshire along the River Calder, in Lancashire along the River Ribble, in Great Manchester along the Irwell and in Appleby on the Eden.

"The current estimate is that over 500 properties have been flooded but this number is expected to increase as further information is collected.

"The latest number of properties confirmed to have been flooded are 40 in Cumbria, 100 in Lancashire, 150 in Greater Manchester and 260 in Yorkshire."

But Ms Villiers added 'at least 25,000 properties and businesses' in flood-hit areas were 'successfully protected' by flood defences over the weekend, telling MPs: "We know more needs to be done and we are determined to deliver."

Among the areas where the defences kicked in was Salford, where the Kersal flood basin was activated.

On Sunday the Mersey Rivers Trust tweeted that the defences had 'worked perfectly' and protected 'thousands of homes and businesses from flooding'.

But Greater Manchester was not included in the areas in which the Government has activated the emergency Bellwin scheme which enables local authorities dealing with the storm to apply to have all of the eligible costs they incur, above a threshold, to be reimbursed by the Government..

Ms Villiers confirmed the scheme had been activated for qualifying areas in West Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire.