EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Bethany Gosling enjoys a splashing time in the floods outside the Swordsman pub, at Stamford Bridge.

Landlord Carl Smith said the bar was still under water today, even though water from the River Derwent has receded slightly, and the pub will remain closed over the weekend.

Most other businesses in the village square have so far escaped flooding, and the Environment Agency indicated today that they should escape again over the weekend, even though the Derwent is expected to rise after yesterday's heavy rain on the North York Moors.

Swollen rivers across North and East Yorkshire will have a respite from further rainfall over the next few days, following the arrival today of colder, drier weather.

Meanwhile, floods minister Elliot Morley today sought to allay fears that insurance companies would not pay out for flood-hit homes.

He said the Association of British Insurers had given a "very practical and pragmatic" agreement that most people, even in flood risk areas, would continue to get their insurance.

"A large number of insurance companies are renewing - even people who have had claims in flood risk areas - and many of the companies have made it clear that they will take this business on in all but the most exceptional cases," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Updated: 11:46 Friday, January 03, 2003