Wettest June ever, as Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd begin the big mop up

More rain fell overnight across most of the country, adding to the deluges which have swamped Yorkshire and forced families to flee their homes.

Further showers and possible thunderstorms are expected to hit many areas today, with the heaviest downpours in Scotland and northern and eastern England.

While these areas are no longer at risk of significant floods, the wet weather is likely to increase the burden on towns and villages as they attempt to clear up after a month’s rain fell in 24 hours.

The South West is likely to see the worst of to

The Met Office has now issued “yellow” severe weather warnings for the North West, Yorkshire and Humber, the South West, Northern Ireland, Strathclyde, south-west and central Scotland, the Lothians, the Scottish Borders, Tayside and Fife, the Highlands & Islands and Grampian.

The wettest places in the UK on Friday were all in Cumbria, Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

Severe flooding also hit areas of West Yorkshire on Friday night, especially in the Calderdale area.

The centres of the towns of Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd were inundated and Todmorden was also badly affected, firefighters said.

At one point West Yorkshire Fire Service issued a message saying it could only respond to incidents in which life was in danger due to the amount of calls.

A spokesman for the brigade said flooding was widespread across the Calderdale area but had begun to recede by dawn.

Councillor Simon Young said the River Calder burst its banks at about 9pm on Friday night in Mytholmroyd.

“It was really a pretty devastating picture,” he said.

“Countless homes and businesses were under water in the centre of Mytholmroyd.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of people, a lot of whom have lived in the area for years, and they cannot remember anything like this in the last 24 years.”

Councillor Young added: “A lot of people have been doubly hit because they’ve got businesses and they live in Mytholmroyd too.

“It’s going to be a pretty big clean-up operation.”

Residents in Allerton Bywater near Leeds were also forced to protect their homes.

Firefighters pumped out flooded premises on Victoria Street and Main Road after water levels rose from the River Aire.

Motorists were unable to use Barnsdale Road to travel to Castleford after flooding closed the road.

Victoria Street and Main Road were also closed to vehicles.

One motorist said he was forced to turn back while travelling to Castleford because the water was higher than the bonnet of his van.

A spokeswoman from West Yorkshire Fire Service said that four people had to be rescued from property on Barnsdale Road by boats on Saturday.

Further north, firefighters in the Yorkshire Dales had to rescue a number of people from cars due to flash flooding.

North Yorkshire Fire Service said nine people in three cars were brought to safety on the A684 in the Hawes area.

A spokesman said the initial call was to one car stuck in fast-moving floodwater but other vehicles became involved.

He said: “On arrival the fire crews from Hawes effected the rescue of a family of two adults and two children, by pushing their car from the floodwater.

“Unfortunately, during this operation a further two cars also tried to negotiate the floodwater and also had to be rescued in a similar manner.

“In total, three cars containing five adults and four children were pushed to safety by the Hawes fire crew who donned wetsuits and lifejackets during the rescue.”

The spokesman said this was followed by another rescue on the A684, this time near Bainbridge.

He said 23 fire personnel, including swift rescue teams, were sent to the incident but the man was eventually rescued by pushing the car out of the water.

Earlier in the evening, two women were rescued from a car trapped in floodwater at Carleton, near Skipton.

Cumbria, which bore the brunt of the downpours earlier this weekend, saw another 15-25mm of rain fall last night which is expect to somewhat hamper the efforts to mop up.

Matt Dobson, senior forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: “This rain isn’t going to help the situation and there could well be more flash-flooding later in the week, though it doesn’t look as bad as it has been.”

He added: “This is one of the wettest Junes since 2007 which was exceptional. It could be one of the wettest Junes of the last 100 years.”

But he offered a glimmer of hope to revellers at the Isle of Wight Festival who can expect a largely dry day.

“It will be a case of sunshine and showers across the country today,” he added.

“There’s a chance of thunderstorms anywhere from eastern Scotland, across north-east England and down the coast through East Anglia.

“Further west and south, quite a lot of England and Wales will have some sunshine this afternoon, and isolated showers.

“In London there will be one or two showers around but by the afternoon it is an improving picture and the sun will come out a little bit more often.”

The deluges battered revellers at the Isle of Wight Festival and brought havoc to Cumbria which buckled under the worst of the wet weather.

Up to 100mm of rain hit the region on Friday night, while south-west Scotland, Northern Ireland and Lancashire also experienced unusually heavy rainfall.

Some families spent the night in temporary accommodation after they were evacuated from properties in Lancashire when rivers burst their banks.

They were taken to the nearby Darwen Leisure Centre after fleeing homes in Croston and Darwen, near Chorley.

Forecasters said water levels would begin to recede but further showers are expected to slow the clear-up process, meaning some areas will remain swamped.