RESIDENTS and businesses in the Yorkshire Dales have been told to prepare for a river to burst its banks.

The Environment Agency issued a flood alert for the Upper River Ure yesterday (Thursday, January 1), following several days of rain.

A spokesman said the river was rising due to the heavy rainfall across the catchment, and at near the confluence of the River Bain with the River Ure at Low Houses and Bainbridge, near Hawes, volumes of water were rapidly increasing.

He said the agency would monitor the situation and that it was expected river levels further downstream would also react to persistent rainfall which had been predicted for last night (Thursday, January 1).

Call Floodline on 0345-988-1188 for up-to-date flooding information.