The River Derwent reached its highest ever level in Malton yesterday afternoon, the Environment Agency has revealed.

At its height the water was two centimetres above the five metres three centimetres of the 2000 floods.

The waters are now receding but are still very high.

At the time the 2000 floods in November were described as a 1 in 400 years flood.

That is such a level would only be expected once every 400 years.

The previous year, 1999, also saw floods in Malton, which were described as a 1 in 100 year flood.

This year the peak came at 8am yesterday and the water remained at five metres five centimetres or 16 ft six inches until 2.15pm when it began, slowly, to retreat.

At 5.30am this morning it was still at four metres 91 centimetres or just over 16 feet.

Malton remains on flood warning.

The peak of the Derwent has now reached North Duffield and the end of the peak is currently leaving Elvington.