OVER the years, many a visitor to York has come a cropper in St George's Field car park.

They have parked, blissfully unaware of the silent menace posed by the nearby River Ouse after heavy rainfall upstream.

Only on returning to the car park after a day in the city centre have they discovered the dangers, with their vehicle surrounded by floodwaters after the river has burst its banks.

But now plans have been unveiled to install a new interactive flood warning sign in the car park to alert motorists to the potential threat.

The sign is to be funded at a cost of £6,500 by the Environment Agency in collaboration with City of York Council.

Colin Atkinson, flood warning team leader for the agency's Dales area, said the River Ouse could rise steadily during the course of a day, following rain higher upstream, and damage cars parked in St George's Field.

"Tourists who are unfamiliar with the city are particularly at risk, as they tend to park for a few days at a time, unaware that flooding is a real possibility in York."

An agency spokesman said that when a Flood Watch was issued for the banks of the Ouse in the area, the sign would alert motorists to the possibility of flooding.

If a Flood Warning was issued, the sign would be altered to warn that the car park was expected to flood.

As floodwaters receded, the sign would change again to indicate the all-clear.

When there was no risk of flooding, the sign would display a picture of the Millennium Bridge and advertise the riverside walk to the bridge.

He expected the sign to be installed in about six weeks time. It would be placed near to the Pay and Display ticket machines, so as to ensure motorists had not bought their ticket before discovering there was a risk of flooding.

The agency is planning to put up another similar sign at the Wilderness Car Park in Wetherby, which is affected by flooding when the nearby River Wharfe bursts its banks.

The spokesman revealed that the agency might use such signs in future at the side of main roads. They could save motorists from driving for miles along a road, only to discover eventually that it is blocked by flooding and then have to turn back.

Updated: 10:44 Saturday, April 19, 2003