A VILLAGE pub near York has been forced by flooding to close for the rest of this week.

The Ship Inn at Acaster Malbis was inundated after the nearby River Ouse rose this week to almost 4.2 mètres above normal summer levels.

The popular pub, two miles downstream of York, shut yesterday amid rising levels but hoped at that stage to be able to reopen by today.

However, this lunchtime it took to Facebook to reveal that, unfortunately, the floodwaters had ‘got into’ the building.

It said: "We are unable to open for the rest of the week whilst the waters go down and we deep clean.

“Apologies for any inconvenience caused.”

The pub added it would issue an update to customers when it knew when it would be able to reopen.

The Press reported in January how the Ship Inn had reopened following a period of closure which left locals fearing it might never open its doors again.

Parish councillors had applied successfully to City of York Council for the pub to be listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), giving it extra protection against permanent closure.

The pub was reopened by Ian Nilsson-Forrest and his sister Robyn after they had cleaned up following flooding.