TADCASTER'S flood-devastated community was united this afternoon when a vigil service was held at a packed parish church - just a week after the building itself came under a metre of floodwater.

The vicar of Tadcaster, the Reverend Canon Sue Sheriff, said the vigil and thanksgiving service, organised by Churches Together, was an opportunity for people of all faiths and of no faith to come together and support one another, following the flooding from the River Wharfe.

She told the congregation of hundreds: "I am sorry we are a bit mucky but you might have heard - we've had a flood!"

She praised all the organisations and individuals who have helped out during the floods, but urged residents to maintain the spirit of solidarity and support in the difficult times still to come.

She said most communities could pull together in a crisis, 'but the real mark of how strong we are as a community is how we move on from here: whether we start arguing over who gets what, or who gets credit for what they did, over who's doing the most.'

She added: ""Those kind of things would divide us as a community in a far more effective way than any broken bridge."

The service included the hymn 'God is our strength and refuge,' sung to the music of The Dambusters, and including the line: "Though swirling waters are raging, God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore."

Earlier, the vicar told The Press how some pews were floating about after the church was inundated on Boxing Day night, with items such as kneelers being ruined, and the organ was now out of action for several months.

"It went right through the church, it went up the steps but it just stopped short of the altar," she said. "We are fortunate that we have been able to save a lot of things like altar frontals but they are going to need professional cleaning.

"We have got a firm coming in to sanitise and clean out and we should be up and running by next weekend."

Flood victims in the town have thanked volunteers for helping them after losing almost everything from their ground floor rooms.

Leah and Robert Lockhart said volunteers at a local distribution centre had been a big help, providing them with food and new equipment, including a washing machine.

Madga Hosova, one of the volunteers at the distribution centre in Kirkgate, said people from across the community, including the supermarkets, had brought in cleaning products, foods, bedding and white goods.

"We have had lovely volunteers here all week, sorting things out," she said. "People keep bringing things in all day long.

"We have been asked many by people in the community for lists of things (that are needed) so they can go out and buy them."