FLOOD defence chiefs said today that the River Ouse's peak is now not expected until this evening.

It is still thought it will reach just under 15 feet above normal levels.

The York flood control group was discussing the situation. A spokeswoman said particular attention was being paid to the southbound A19.

During the night residents of South Esplanade worked until the early hours to build a wall of 1,000 sandbags at the bottom of Peckitt Street.

South Esplanade resident Rupert Hildyard said no lessons had been learnt since 2000.

"We spent ten days under water in November, 2000, and we've just got back to normal," he said.

He his wife, Ursula, and children Rosanna, seven, and Daisy, 17, could now do nothing but wait, he claimed.

"We've had no progress in 17 months in making any commitment at all about defences and protecting us from floods," said Mr Hildyard.

"We are just being abandoned."

He added he and neighbours had got together to hire four pumps, which they hoped would safeguard their homes.

Firefighters stepped in to help pump out water from the Waterfront Restaurant on King's Staith after levels in the building reached six inches this afternoon.

Restaurant owners Robert and Carol Swift installed steel flood protection frames after the floods of November 2000 which cost them £160,000.

But Carol said today that they had not been enough to protect them from today's river levels.

She said: "Nothing has been done for us down here."

Naburn residents left for work today with little hope that they would be able to return this evening.

And elderly residents of riverside homes yesterday had to be rescued as flood waters rose to their front doors in Knaresborough.

Firefighters carried four women from their static homes at Nidderdale caravan park.

Another eight people were helped through the water after the River Nidd burst its banks.

Sub Officer Bruce Reid, who headed the Knaresborough rescue, said: "From what I have been able to establish, the residents, who are all above retirement age, knew the water was coming up, but they didn't expect it would get so high.

He said four of those rescued were taken to King James' Comprehensive School, in Knaresborough, which became a temporary evacuation centre.

The others made arrangements to stay with relatives or friends.

In Tadcaster, a man had a narrow escape early today when he hit a wall of flood water on the B1223, near Ulleskelf, and aquaplaned across a road into a ditch. The car filled with water, leaving the driver stranded on the roof.

A firefighter wearing a dry suit waded into the water to carry him to safety.

Environment Agency chiefs have put 81 flood warnings in place across Britain. But weather forecasters are predicting "much improved" conditions.

Environment Agency website

Updated: 15:27 Tuesday, February 12, 2002