Updated 8.30pm, Saturday, October 27

ABOUT 100 homes and businesses in two villages near York have been left without power today after vandals damaged electricity cables.

The problem, affecting the villages of Ellerton and Aughton, between Selby and Pocklington, was reported at 7.40am today and engineers from Northern Powergrid have been on the scene since about 9.15am today.

Supplies were eventually reconnected to all properties just before 8pm, with a spokesman for Northern Powergrid confirming the power cut was due to "vandalism of overhead cables" in the area and the company has reported the crime to police.

Andrea Young, landlady of the Boot and Shoe pub in Ellerton, said: "We have not had any electricity all day but have stayed open - we have candles and coal fires so we have been able to keep going.

"We have had quite a few power cuts around here in the past so we are quite used to it."