DOZENS of shops and pubs in an East Yorkshire town were forced to close amid dramatic flooding scenes after a beck burst its banks.

Children waded through several feet of water in Pocklington town centre, a Land Rover floated in the waters and two shop windows were smashed by bow waves created as lorries drove through the floods.

Police officers sealed off the town centre as Environment Agency (EA) officers battled to contain the flooding, and helped proprietors to lay down sandbags in a bid to minimise damage.

An agency spokesperson said it had been clearing a "trash screen" - which catches debris in a waterway - in an effort to alleviate the flooding, which also forced Pocklington Infant School to close.

Kim Lightfoot, landlady of Station Hotel, in The Pavement, said: "There are kids in the streets wading up to their stomachs - it's an absolute nightmare. There's no organisation.

"The pub cellar is full of water - it's up to the second step. We're stranded - we could maybe wade out, but we'd be up to our chests and we've got kids.

"The police are letting big vehicles go through the water, which are creating big waves and making it worse."

Mrs Lightfoot said there was a house behind the pub, with water going through its ground floor windows and the letter box.

Pocklington Town Council clerk Richard Wood described the flooding as "quite devastating".

He said: "I've never seen water as high as this in Pocklington - it really is quite serious."

He said most people had been lending a hand and were trying to deal with the flooding as best as they could, but there were some irresponsible motorists who insisted on trying to drive through the town when roads were closed.

A spokesperson for Humberside Police said: "Humberside Police is working as part of a multi-agency approach to tackle the floods.

Many roads throughout the Humberside force area are either flooded and closed, or are proving treacherous to pass due to standing water.

Due to a large number of calls being received by the emergency services, people are advised to only make calls in an emergency.

Road closures are in place and motorists are asked to follow diversions and not to cross cordons.

Officers are advising people to travel only if necessary, and, if they have to, to please drive slowly."

For information about the flooding, call the EA flood line, on 0845 9881188.


Tidal wave' smashed shop windows

EYEWITNESSES say a lorry driving through the town created a wave that smashed a window of Family Butchers, in George Street.

Jerry Sissons, who runs the butchers, said: "The lorry drove past too fast and created a tidal wave that smashed through the window. It frightened me to death.

"I have been here for 30 years and we have never had any flooding of note at all. It's incredible."

Sam Flintoft, 69, of George Street, said: "I saw the lorry that put Sissons' window through. He came up through town like a madman and it just put the window through."

Abigail Hardy, 18, of Pocklington, said: "I had an exam at Woldgate College and when I came out everything was flooded."

Percy Ross, 77, who was in the Black Bull, in Market Place, said the flooding was the worst since 1977.