CITY leaders in York have welcomed a national newspaper's move to clarify a story claiming the entire city of York was submerged after storm Franklin.

Yesterday The Press reported that The Daily Express came under fire for running a story suggesting the “entire” city of York has been submerged in the floods. 

The article said: “Pictures show the city of York submerged underwater as cars are left stranded and pubs are swamped.”

Cllr Andrew Waller, City of York Council's executive member for the economy, said: "Their coverage is very unhelpful when businesses are hoping to get the benefit of the half termholidays after two years of pandemic.

"It really is a crucial time for businesses and attractions in the city centre.

"There's a lot of effort gone in to the flood defences in York and some people who are near the river have had to use their flood precautions, but at 4.6 metres above normal river levels on the Ouse, it's just a seasonal flood event that our Environment Agency partners were prepared for."

Cllr Waller said City of York Council made representations to the paper and now they've set the record straight with an updated sotry and a clarification which reads:

A previous version of this article was headlined "UK flood warning: Entire city SUBMERGED - horror as pubs and cars totally swamped". This article and headline have been amended to make clear that in fact only parts of the city were impacted by temporary floods. The city of York remains fully open. We are happy to clarify this.