RIVEERSIDE walks and drinks in York were off today after the River Ouse flooded again, following heavy and persistent rainfall in the Dales catchment over the past couple of days.

The Environment Agency issued a flood warning for riverside properties in York last night, and the river was the only one in the UK to be subject to a warning by this afternoon.

It said the river had reached 3.2 metres above normal summer levels today, meaning flooding of properties, gardens, roads and paths was possible, and was likely to remain high.

This left the New Walk footpath and cycleway and Kings Staith and Queens Staith underwater, ruling out outdoor drinks at venues such as the Kings Arms and Dyls cafe at Skeldergate Bridge.