A major clear-up operation is under way after the devastating floods in the Isle of Man as rain and strong winds are expected to hit parts of Britain in the coming days.

It comes as police on the Isle of Man declared a major incident after the Laxey River burst its banks, leaving nearby villagers trapped in their homes.

The Met Office said the remnants of ex-hurricane Lorenzo, which has pushed over the north and west of the Azores, could bring further wet and windy conditions to Britain and Northern Ireland on Thursday and Friday.

The Isle of Man’s Department of Infrastructure said its engineers were working to assess walls and other structures in the village of Laxey, while Manx Utilities tweeted that following Tuesday’s flash flooding that it was working in the river to remove gravel, shale and debris which caused the blockage on the weir.

A planned closure of Mountain Road was being used to inspect areas prone to landslides.

Infrastructure minister Ray Harmer told the BBC that the “massive clear-up” would continue in the village “for the next day or so”.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle, who visited the scene, said: “I expressed my thanks to the emergency services for their rapid response and was struck by the community spirit and resilience of the people in the village.”

Alice Morgan, 18, a university student from Laxey, said: “On my drive down the road, which was only resurfaced a few months ago, there are burst drains and major damage to several cars and homes.

“The damage left behind is definitely people’s livelihood and homes. Floodwater is still running through homes and down any hill it can find.

“The Isle of Man people have definitely banded together in this crisis and helped each other out.”

There were 10 flood warnings and 47 flood alerts still in place across England by Wednesday night.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind across parts of Northern Ireland, saying it could be hit by transport disruption.

The warning states that south-easterly winds will increase during Thursday, bringing gusts of 50 mph to Northern Ireland, while exposed coastal locations and high ground may see gusts of 55-60 mph.”

There is also a Met Office yellow weather warning for wind on Friday for south west England and south Wales. It states that inland gusts of 50-55mph are possible and some coastal location could be hit by gusts of 60-55mph.