CARS have been left stranded in flood water in York city centre as river levels have risen rapidly in the aftermath of Storm Debi.

Across the country there are 14 red flood alerts in place where flooding is expected. Seven of them are in York and nearby areas.

One of the areas worst affected in York city centre is St George's Field car park alongside the River Ouse and close to Clifford's Tower.

This morning (November 15) there were three cars stranded in various parts of the flooded car park.

Onlookers saw some of the owners of the cars wading in to retrieve belongings from their vehicles earlier today.

Following the storm, water levels on the River Ouse remain extremely high, with three red warnings for flooding in place across the city centre.

Other areas on the River Ouse that remain flooded include footpaths, King's and Queens Staith, Naburn Lock, and riverside properties.

York Press: Two cars stranded at St George's Field car park, York

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service have issued a statement reiterating that it's not safe to drive through floodwater.

River levels at the Viking Recorder, on the Ouse behind Coney Street are projected to reach 4m later on today. During the recent Storm Ciarán, its highest recorded level was 3.32m.

Elsewhere, at the York Foss barrier, the latest recording registered water levels at 8.84m. For comparison, the highest ever recorded at this point was 10.2m in 2000.

York Press: Dyls Cafe Bar, Skeldergate Bridge

Elsewhere in North Yorkshire, Tadcaster Bridge has closed and Bridge Street in the town has flooded. The Bridge famously collapsed as a result of the Boxing Day floods in 2015.

Howard Ferguson, who represented former MP Nigel Adams on the Tadcaster flood alleviation scheme saw the floods caused by Storm Debi.

He said: “Tadcaster Bridge Street should not flood when the River Wharfe is nearly a metre below the top of the bank."

"Despite that Bridge Street flooded in January this year and again on November 15. Investigation of the January event led to Yorkshire Water confirming that they would deploy a temporary pump to remove surface water when the river was high.

"Yorkshire Water also said they would upgrade the valve which should stop any river water from flowing back up the surface water drainage system which was another possible cause of the flooding."

York Press: Water levels at Tadcaster Bridge this morning

Levels also remain high outside of York, along the Ouse near Naburn. The River Derwent near Elvington also has reported levels above the normal range.

The weather for the rest of the week is set to be mostly dry, with patchy rain and showers on Sunday, according to the Met Office.