HEAVY rainfall, flooding and snow affected much of the North-East today as Storm Christoph wreaked havoc in wider areas of the North.

As the worst of the storm front moved east, into the North Sea, it left behind torrents of rain water running into already heavy-laden rivers.

The worst of the flood risk appeared to be in the south Manchester and Cheshire areas where homes were evacuated, with particular fears the River Mersey would breach its banks in its upper reaches.

There was an amber weather warning due to snow in the Scottish borders and north Northumberland, with up to 7in of snow reported in the Wooler area.

Further south there was a yellow warning for heavy rain causing a risk of flooding in large parts of the region.

Train operator LNER said flooding blocked the East Coast Main Line between Darlington and York, with a bus replacement service being put in place.

It affected early services between the North-East and Kings Cross, while Edinburgh-bound trains were terminated at York and others started from Newcastle.

There were also warnings that trains between York and Leeds could be affected due to disruption caused by flooding on lines.

Northern warned its customers not to travel on many of its routes to the North-West because of increasingly poor conditions following torrential rain across the region.

Routes covering north of Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria are affected by a “do not travel” alert, as a number of routes have experienced issues with flooding, and several have seen closures and significant disruption, Northern said.

Lee Rawlinson, of the Environment Agency, said that flood basins put in place on the River Mersey in Didsbury, Manchester, had “served their purpose” overnight and kept properties in the area dry.

“At Didsbury, the River Mersey got to very high levels very quickly, the water was pouring through there,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“What we did as an organisation, we have a couple of flood basins that we employed there, that they took the water away. It took the peak of the water off.

“The top of the river came within centimetres of the top of the river bank but our defences there have served their purpose and kept those properties dry.

“But it was very close.”

Among roads closed in the North-East due to flooding were a stretch of the A6085 Scotswood Road, in Lemington, Newcastle, plus the A174 in the Marske area and the B1269 on Yearby Bank.

The A174 was closed at Greystones Roundabout, with traffic tailing back for some distance, with reports of the entrance to Teesport being flooded.