Residents in Norton have been among those worst hit in this year's Ryedale floods.

But as water levels rose to record levels, residents in Malton have also been affected.

As the floodwaters appeared to stabilise a number of residents were left waiting to see if their houses would be hit.

Many elderly residents in Chandler's Wharf, just behind Castlegate, were stranded in their homes which had been carefully surrounded with sandbags by council staff.

One resident, Eileen Johnson, was unable to come to her front door but leaned out of her window to speak to the Evening Press.

"The water hasn't come in yet and we've been told it probably won't but I'm keeping a lookout just in case," she said.

"The council are looking after us very well; I'm not worried."

Noel Hampshire has lived in Castlegate for 55 years and says he has never seen anything like this year's floods.

He is fighting a running battle trying to sweep away the water from his hallway.

"I have seen floods in Malton before but it's never been this bad," he says standing at his front door leaning on his broom.

"The water has only come into the hall so I have been extremely lucky."

Less than a metre from Mr Hampshire's house water is lapping up against the road, and in the abandoned flats opposite his home a seemingly endless supply of water is gushing down, transforming the front steps into a bizarre water feature.

Clive Key, a taxation officer with Ryedale District Council, who has put his calculator down this week to help with general flood duties, says the water is coming from a natural spring.

"Water has built up behind and underneath the house and it is now pouring out like a natural spring; it's a remarkable sight," he says.

The water becomes so deep at the bottom of Castlegate it is out of bounds to pedestrians without waders or wellingtons.

Fiona Wragge was wading from her home in Sheepfoot Hill when she spoke to the Evening Press.

Her house, at the back of the fire station, has been completely submerged with water which is three feet deep in places.

"I am trying to get into the town centre to buy a stamp and post a letter to New Zealand," she says.

Fiona, who retired from teaching at Ampleforth Junior School at the end of the last academic year, has decided to stay at home with her husband John and their three cats.

"We lost pretty much everything in last year's floods but this year the Environment Agency warned us well in advance so we were able to stack our furniture up on breeze blocks and pieces of wood, away from the water," she added.

"I can't see any point in us leaving now because we've still got electricity and gas and we would prefer to stay with the cats.

"It is a bit disappointing because we were supposed to be going on holiday in Devon last week but had to cancel because of this."

Further along Sheepfoot Hill, Steve Roberts is surveying the damage to his home in Mill Cottages.

He and his partner Dawn Botterill moved into the property just one month ago.

"We were aware this place had been flooded last year but we thought it was only likely to happen once every 50 years," he said.

"Well... we were wrong. We have been quite lucky because we haven't had to move out and we have saved a lot of our stuff.

"We moved here from Scarborough and it is just one of those things I suppose."