Campers flee flooded caravan park

Holidaymakers at a caravan park in Northumberland were evacuated for a time after heavy rain caused flooding, fire brigade officials said.

Rising water levels at the River Park in Wooler prompted the evacuation of tourists at about 0400 BST on Friday.

Elsewhere in the North East, hundreds of homes in County Durham were without electricity overnight.

Some roads and the Tyne and Wear Metro were also affected by large areas of standing water.

Flood alerts were still in operation in parts of the region, especially in Northumberland and the Tees Valley, although the level of many rivers has lowered.

Homes damaged

More than 300 homes in the Haswell and Wheatley Hill areas of County Durham were still without electricity on Friday after lightning and flood water damage to power cables.

Meanwhile the clean-up operation in the Northumberland village of Wark was continuing on Friday.

Residents saw damage to homes after the River North Tyne burst its banks.

Station officer John Arnold, of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, said: "A lot of people in Wark are quite depressed at the state of the damage, but they are trying to remain upbeat and are getting on with the job.

"We have been helping as much as we can and also preparing for any further possible damage."

Rain caused travel chaos for road users with some roads closed because of standing water, including a stretch of the A19 at Willington, near Newcastle.

Tyne and Wear Metro services were disrupted because of standing water in the Shiremoor area of Newcastle.