HUNDREDS of residents in a village near York faced possible evacuation as the city spent a nervous night on the brink of major flooding.

There was also major disruption for scores of motorists on one of the main routes into York after the A19 was closed at Fulford.

The River Ouse was set to rise as high as 4.7 metres above normal overnight - the height of a double-decker bus - as the legacy of heavy January rain meant misery and worry for residents.

A severe flood warning, the highest flood alert possible, was issued for 153 properties in Naburn and Acaster Malbis - with emergency plans including a possible evacuation.

Jenny Balding, clerk to Naburn Parish Council, said: "People are very nervous, but nobody has been evacuated yet. Everybody is on alert and we've got in more sandbags to make sure people's houses are secure."

In York, sandbags were piled up in doorways along riverside streets, while Rowntree Park, Hull Road Park and the St George's Field and Esplanade car parks were closed. Skeldergate, in York, the B1228 south of Elvington and the B1222 at Naburn were also closed as water poured on to them.

Police arrived to block off the A19 in Fulford at 8pm last night, at its junction with Fordlands Road, after a number of cars became stuck in floodwater from Germany Beck.

The Environment Agency predicted the Ouse would peak at between 4.4m and 4.7m between 8.30pm and midnight last night - its highest level since 2005, but still a metre short of the record-breaking levels which devastated the city in 2000.

The York Flood Group - consisting of council officers, emergency services, Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency - met yesterday afternoon.

Its chairman, Jim Breen, said: "I would like to reassure residents and visitors that all the agencies involved are working together to ensure the impact of the high river level is kept to a minimum."

Councillor Andrew Waller, York's representative on the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee, said the major cause for concern would come if the Ouse rose above five metres.

He said: "We have a long-standing flood plan which can be acted upon depending on the predicted height of the river but, as things stand, this is a seasonal flood event rather than an extraordinary one demanding an extraordinary response."

York-based Environment Agency area controller Kim Andrew said: "The land is absolutely saturated and that means any rain which does fall goes straight to the rivers, but we have a series of defences such as floodgates and the Foss Barrier in York in place at critical points."

Weather forecasters have predicted drier weather today and tomorrow which could see the city breathe a sigh of relief. However, flood fears are not set to vanish quickly with more rain being forecast for later in the week.


Passengers trapped in stalled bus

EMERGENCY services rescued nine elderly passengers from a double-decker bus trapped in floodwaters.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service were called to Lund Lane, at Breighton, near Selby, just before 10am yesterday.

Glenn Ramsden, a fire service spokesman, said the bus appeared to have been travelling on a single track road when it entered the flood and developed a mechanical problem.

He said: "This left the passengers stranded in a remote location at the centre of the flood waters which were about two feet deep.

"While the depth of the water would not have posed too much of a hazard, there was some difficulty determining where the roadside ditches ran and to what depth. This was clearly a hazard not only to the passengers, but also the rescuers."

He said the operation was ongoing for three hours. All nine passengers were rescued by boat and checked over by a team from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service before being put on to an awaiting coach to continue their journey.


I'm taking no chances'

AS the murky waters continued to rise on the River Ouse, worried locals were taking no chances in preparing for possible floods.

Rupert Hilliard, who lives facing the rising river on Friars Terrace, York, moved his furniture upstairs.

He said: "I work as a lecturer at the University of Lincoln, but I had to make the difficult decision not to go into work. I am not taking any risks, if the water levels rise by a couple more metres then houses on the riverfront will start to flood."

Mr Hilliard faced similar flooding problems in 2000 when his house was flooded to waist level. The floods took him a year to restore the house and left a huge repair bill in its wake.

"My daughter, my wife and I had to camp upstairs for ten days because the flooding was so bad," he said.

"We had to cook on a camping stove and we didn't leave the house because it was dangerous.

"I don't know if it will be as bad this time, but I am not taking any chances."

Mr Hilliard's house has been struck by floods 13 times since 1985 and he thinks it is time that better flood defences were put in place.


Roads closed

The recent rain also forced North Yorkshire County Council to close a string of roads.

Those closed included Newton Road between Shipton and Tollerton at the flooded Ella Bridge, Overton Railway Bridge and Thornton Road in Easingwold, the stretch of road between Gate Helmsley and Buttercrambe, the C93 at Stamford Bridge, Kirby Wiske near Northallerton, and eight routes in the Selby area, including the B1223 between Kirby Wharfe and Ulleskelf.

More flood information is available by calling the Environment Agency Floodline on 0945 988 1188.