THE rain has continued to cause misery for North-East homeowners.

Chester-le-Street and Durham were put on flood watch by the Environment Agency yesterday after forecasters predicted the miserable weather would continue until Thursday, with more torrential rain expected.

In North Yorkshire, emergency services said all local-ised flooding was under control, despite heavy overnight rain.

Flood watch alerts remained in the North York Moors and the Vale of York.

Homeowners in West Auckland and Hummerbeck, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, where 40 homes were flooded when Oakley Cross Beck burst its banks on Thursday, remained concerned yesterday and built sandbag barricades outside doors fearing water levels would rise again and creep into their homes.

In Woodham, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, residents said they were the forgotten victims of the floods.

Properties were affected by flood water in 2000, after which residents formed a group to pressure the authorities to take action, but they said last night that little appeared to have been done

George and Christine Bainbridge are living in the upstairs floor of a property in Cheltenham Way, after the ground floor was left submerged in four inches of water.

Mr Bainbridge said: "After the 2000 flooding there was a big meeting between the residents and the council and other agencies, and we were told if there was any danger of flooding we would be given a warning. We still haven't heard anything."