Businesses in Stamford Bridge were warned this afternoon to prepare for their premises to be flooded.

The Environment Agency issued a Flood Warning on the River Derwent at the village and nearby Buttercrambe.

A spokeswoman said homes and businesses should take action as flooding was expected from the river, which caused devastation in the community last November.

The rivers Ouse and Foss remained on Flood Watch status, she said.

The flooding warning on the Derwent follows heavy rain falling on melting snow on the North York Moors.

Properties very likely to be flooded at Stamford Bridge included the Swordsman Inn, the Cornmill and the Weir Caravan Park, and the road near Buttercrambe Bridge was also very likely to go under water.

Karen Townsend, manager of the Swordsman, that was badly damaged by last November's flooding disaster, said that she and others were frantically working to protect the property.

Out buildings and gardens at the Inn are already flooded and she expected that another few inches of water could see it coming into the property.

"It's just a waiting game at the moment will it flood, won't it, we just don't know," she said, adding that refurbishment after the last flood had been due to finish tomorrow.

On the opposite side of the River Derwent the Weir Caravan Park is also waiting to see how far the water will rise.

The park is largely empty as caravans that were damaged in last years floods have not yet been returned.

Donna Harper, who works at the park, said, "I don't know if it can do any more damage than it already has, a lot of things haven't been put straight since the last floods."

Updated: 12:48 Tuesday, February 06, 2001