DRIVERS in the region are being placed on alert as more flooding is forecast over the next few days.
Flash flooding caused problems on the main A684 though Wensleydale with fire and rescue crews called out to help drivers trapped in the rising water.
Local farmer Thomas Beresford had to help rescue one couple who got caught in the fast rising floods.
“A couple of holidaymakers in a silver BMW became trapped on Bellow Hill Road trying to get to Keld. They had rung the police and the message was getting passed on to the fire service at Hawes as I pulled up alongside them.
"Water was just entering the car so I attached a tow rope to pull them to the safety of the pub at Hardraw,” he added.
“Flood water levels jumped three feet in the space of half-an-hour on the A684 at Appersett. All the farmers who have land next to the river Ure down the Wensleydale valley have to think ahead of any forecasted heavy rain and flooding to make sure they remove all livestock from the river banked fields to stop them being washed away."
Fire crews also helped rescue two sets of travellers whose cars became trapped in the same area. The Environment Agency has issued a flood warning and several flood alerts for the North-East and North Yorkshire with the River Wiske, at Kirby Wiske at particular risk, and alerts on the Rivers Ure, Swale, Ouse and Tees.
An Environment Agency spokesman added: “With heavy rain falling over already wet areas, surface water flooding is possible in North Yorkshire and Durham, especially during Wednesday morning, whilst river flooding is also possible in these counties and along the River Tees towards Darlington as well.
"Typical impacts could include localised flooding of land and roads, with some travel disruption and localised flooding of individual properties.”
Independent weather forecaster John Livesley who runs 13 weather stations across the Dales and set up Mylocalweather.org.uk predicts the main problems will be in the next couple of days because of the build up of rain in rivers coming off saturated land.
“I think the worst is going to come on Thursday. The flooding we have had so far really came from the rain on Saturday, with over an inch in Swaledale and half-an-inch in Wensleydale, and there’s more coming.
"I have had this theory for some time that we are getting more rain and it’s warmer, it’s coming from the South West,” said Mr Livesley.
For information on floods go to https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings .
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