FIRE crews were today battling to salvage homes swamped by up to 12ft of water in East Renfrewshire yesterday.

Eight properties in Giffnock were engulfed as a burn burst its banks during torrential rain.

Yesterday it was the turn of the west of Scotland to be hit by the sweeping rains which had lashed the east coast, particularly Fife, the day before.

Parts of Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire were badly hit with many roads flooded.

In Giffnock the flash flood wrecked homes on Eastwoodmains Road within the space of 20 minutes.

Giffnock Bowling Club was also under several feet of water after a heavy downpour shortly after 2pm.

And a pensioner on a mobility scooter had to be rescued by two community wardens from flood waters in Orchard Park Avenue.

Firefighters spent the night pumping gallons of water from the properties and the clean-up operation was continuing this morning.

Many families were forced to stay with relatives as their electricity and gas supplies were hit.

One homeowner, who asked not to be named, said: "It's a hell of a mess this morning, the flooding happened within 20 minutes - it was that quick.

"The burn is usually just a trickle and it obviously couldn't cope."

Meanwhile, a burst sewer in nearby Robslee Road flooded a number of homes which led to raw sewage seeping into gardens.

A spokesman for East Renfrewshire Council said: "We immediately alerted Scottish Water and have given environmental health advice to the residents affected.

"Some sewage has seeped into the basement of the properties but no families were evacuated.

"What shocked everyone was the speed at which this happened.

"Clarkston Toll was under a foot of water within eight minutes yesterday.

"We had to source extra sandbags from Glasgow City Council at one point because we had run out of them."

The flash floods also caused misery for residents in Johnstone, Renfrewshire.

A burst sewer flooded properties in Greenend Avenue, Maple Drive, Huntersfield Road, Buchannan Street and Napier Street in the town.

A spokesman for Renfrewshire Council said: "We are responding to a request for sandbags and have sent a tanker out.

"The problem is a lack of capacity in the sewer system and we are working on that with Scottish Water."

Three primary schools in East Ayrshire were forced to close early yesterday due to severe flooding in the Newmilnes area.

An 800-metre stretch of the main street was under two feet of water yesterday afternoon.

A spokeswoman for East Ayrshire Council said three primary schools had closed early due to the flooding in Newmilns.

She added that children in one school had been held back until 4pm after road closures hampered parents from coming to pick them up.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service said recent reports indicated the floodwaters were beginning to recede. Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said it had received reports of minor landslides on the B797 Sanquhar to Wanlockhead road.

A police spokesman added: "As a result of these factors motorists are asked to take care in an effort to avoid crashes."

In Fife, firefighters had to pump water from Melville House, near Ladybank, a historic 17th century building.