YORK was this afternoon hit by its worst flooding for more than six years.

A rare Amber Two flood plan was swung into action in readiness for peak flood levels at 3.30pm.

The swollen river is expected to stay at its deepest until tomorrow morning, when more rain is forecast for the region.

The village of Naburn looked set to be cut off by then, although houses in the area were not expected to be flooded.

Emergency services, schools and social services were being placed on standby, with four-wheel-drive vehicles ready to ferry people in and out of the village in the likely event of roads becoming impassable to ordinary transport.

A City of York Council spokesman said about 40 Fulford School pupils who live in Stillingfleet and Naburn left early.

He added four were sitting exams, but they would be taken home in four-wheel drive vehicles if necessary.

Elsewhere, North Yorkshire police warned that some disruption was likely on city roads, with lower parts of the A19 Fulford Road a possibility for flooding as the Ouse peaked.

Only a dozen city centre homes were in danger of flooding,but

teams from the council's Commercial Services department have already being working with householders to prepare for the possibility.

Large swathes of the city centre south of Lendal bridge were already cut off today - including King's and Queen's Staithes, Tower Gardens, St George's Field car park and the foot and cycle paths down to Fulford.

Terry Avenue was also cut off. Farmers with fields to the south of the city centre have already been warned to take livestock away from the flood areas.

Today's emergency plans were laid by the York Flood Management Group which met for the first time since flooding in the city in 1995.

On the River Ouse in York the Water Rescue Unit was called out to rescue a couple and their dog from the narrowboat 'Cleo', near Ouse Bridge, this morning.

And on Main Street, Nether Poppleton, a man and a woman were rescued from their stranded car. Their car, and a Nissan stranded near Memorial Gardens in Nether Poppleton, were moved to safety by the rescue team.

Meanwhile the Environment Agency was predicting only a slight rise in the River Derwent, with flooded becks and ings across the city all reported to be under control.

The flood threat came after three inches of rain fell in 48 hours in some parts of the country.

The worst-affected areas were the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, where more than 500 homes were hit and Bishop Auckland in County Durham where 250 homes were flooded.

The extreme weather caused the cancellation of the Voyage 2000: A Classical Journey with Fireworks, due to be held at Castle Howard last night, when organisers ruled the outdoor concert unsafe.