A FIVE-FOOT wall of water tore through villages as flash floods caused havoc.

Damage running into millions of pounds was caused as a torrential thunderstorm caused the River Rye to burst its banks.

A major clean-up operation was in full swing yesterday after the freak weather washed away roads, caused landslides and isolated villages on Sunday.

Livestock and family pets died, homes and businesses were flooded and many people were lucky to escape with their lives after being caught out by the speed of the downpour.

Rescue services scrambled a helicopter to trace nine people reported missing after the deluge, which sent floodwater coursing through the town of Helmsley and closed off the A170 and the B1257.

Police said the missing were found safe and well and confirmed that a motorist was plucked from the roof of her car and two others were rescued from a gate. At one point the A19 was blocked three miles north of Thirsk.

The downpour over the North York Moors which sparked the flood cracked a bridge leading into Helmsley and left it in a dangerous state, officers said.

A bridge in Hawnby, near Rievaulx, was washed away by the floods. Staff at tourist attraction Rievaulx Abbey feared it would be closed for weeks after the water and mud caused chaos.

One livestock owner at nearby Hawnby was reported to have lost up to 90 sheep and there were fears for about 20 dogs at a kennels but they were later found safe.

The BBC's Bilsdale transmitter on the North York Moors was flooded, cutting off television for thousands of homes.

Rescuers from Swaledale Mountain Rescue backed up the emergency services on Sunday. Air sea rescue helicopters from RAF Leconfield and RAF Kinloss scoured the area and rescued people from cars, trees and the roofs of isolated homes.

An elderly woman was winched to safety from Hawnby after suffering a suspected heart attack and was flown to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton.

The villages of Felixkirk and Sutton-under-Whitestonecliff, both near Thirsk, were among those hit by flood water.

Graham Lamond, 45, was at home in Sutton-under-Whitestonecliff with wife Rachel, 43, and children Amy, 14, and Alastair, 12.

Their 180-year-old home, worth £235,000, was devastated when a 5ft wall of water crashed through it, demolishing their garage.

A 20ft sailing boat in their garage was wrecked in the deluge and ended up in their garden.

Mr Lamond said said: "The sky clouded over at about 4pm on Sunday and the thunderstorm started.

"Then suddenly there was a wall of water rolling straight at us about 5ft high, all we could do was run.

"It hit the house and smashed the garage down, the cars and boats were washed away.

His neighbour Ian O'Connor, 43, a builder, was devastated after losing his three dogs in the floods.

People were also airlifted to safety from the site of a motorcycle rally at Duncombe Park. Just 24 hours earlier, about 10,000 people would have been enjoying the festival, but only organisers and a few stragglers were left when the weather changed.