EMERGENCY service workers in North Yorkshire have issued further warnings after having to go to the rescue of a number of motorists trapped by rising floodwater.

Parts of the North-East have had another rain-soaked weekend as a result of Storm Dennis.

The storm, the second the hit the region in seven days, caused wide-spread flooding, closing roads and disrupting travel.

A number of roads across North Yorkshire, County Durham and Teesside were closed as a result of the heavy rain.

Last night, there were a record number of flood alerts across the country, with alerts and warnings remaining in place across much of the region, and further rain and wind forecast for Monday.

In County Durham, the River Wear breached its banks in Durham and Chester-le-Street, while firefighters had to free the occupants from a car after it became stuck in rising floodwater on the road between Willington and Binchester, near Bishop Auckland.

The Northern Echo:

Some of the flooding in Durham

Emergency services in North Yorkshire were called to a number of reports of trapped cars, including at Morton-on-Swale, near Northallerton, on Sunday.

Lee Smith, group manager at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “There may be a view that because the rain is easing away the problem is over – that’s not the case and the impact of the rainfall will continue to become apparent over the next hours and days.

“We appeal to the public to continue to stay safe and to heed all warning signs and messaging.

“We are grateful to the vast majority of people who have listened to our advice to prepare and take care. However, we now have widespread flooding across a number of roads in the North Yorkshire particularly and it’s vital people don’t take risks.

“Already today a number of motorists have had to be rescued from flood water and that’s really disappointing given the number of warnings we have been issuing.

The Northern Echo:

Broken Scar, Darlington

“I would like to reiterate the call to people to stay away from rivers and other areas of open water. Many are swollen and that may well get worse."

North Yorkshire County Council had been working with businesses and residents in the lead up to the storm to try and prevent further flooding.

On Saturday, hours before Storm Dennis hit, Andrew Atkin, landlord at The Bridge Inn, Grinton, was thankful for the assistance of the council in helping to remove rocks from the beck next to his pub, which flooded last weekend.

The Northern Echo:

Andrew Atkin, of The Bridge Inn, Grinton, was working hard on Saturday to prevent further flooding

Trains and flights from the region were also cancelled, with other rail services delayed because of speed restrictions put in place as a result of high winds.

There were also significant delays on the A66 – which was closed to high-sided and “vulnerable” vehicles for most of the weekend – on Saturday after a caravan tipped on its side near Stainmore, in Cumbria.

The RSPCA had to deploy an emergency team after it received reports of stranded cattle in the Ferryhill area, in County Durham.