A GOVERNMENT minister has visited York to meet and thank the dedicated volunteers and charities behind the floods clean-up.

Minister for Civil Society Rob Wilson came to the city yesterday [Thursday] to find out about the hard work done to help people and businesses recover after an exceptional amount of rain fell on York in December.

He visited several organisations meeting Michaela Robinson who set up "Fossy Flossy’s Fast Food Van" to hand out food to residents in Huntington Road. He also visited the Community Furniture Store; and Rowntree Park and spoke to representatives of the Chapelfields Community Association, the Church of the Latter Day Saints and Aviva who are all working to bring the park back into service.

Mr Wilson said: "The response of civil society organisations and the wider public in York and Yorkshire to the recent flooding over the Christmas period has been incredible.

“Government is standing squarely behind the residents and businesses affected by these floods and our task is to do everything we can to help towns and communities recover from these devastating floods”.