Heavy downpours cause havoc

This factory wall was knocked down by flood waters in Shipley

Residents are mopping up after the region was deluged with rain for at least 24 hours.

Roads were closed, cars got stuck and basements were flooded as the rain fell relentlessly.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said it took 300 phone calls in 12 hours on Tuesday, twice the usual number.

Huddersfield Library was closed after a leaky roof flooded the main lending area. It should partly reopen on Wednesday.

A library spokesman said: "We are not sure how much damage has been caused yet.

"We have to wait until the carpets dry out and all the electrical equipment has been checked before we can reopen fully."

Very hectic

A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said it was particularly hectic during the morning.

"Most phone calls have been from people who's cellars have flooded or are suffering blocked drains.

"We had to rescue one or two people from their cars in Shipley."

Staff at the Romany Marble Company in Shipley arrived at work on Tuesday morning to find flood waters from the River Aire had badly damaged a wall alongside the river.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said the Pennines, Sheffield and parts of Yorkshire had been hardest hit with up to 100mm of rain expected to fall before the end of Tuesday.

In North Yorkshire police said the waters started to subside during Tuesday afternoon. But they blasted motorists who ignored road closed signs in the Aysgarth area and had to be rescued from their vehicles.

Buses replaced trains between Leeds and Harrogate because of flooding on the railway line.