York MP Hugh Bayley was today in talks with the Environment Agency about the autumn floods as the county kept a watchful eye on river levels.

He was meeting Environment Agency area manager Craig McGarvey to talk through the events of last month, and the measures being taken to stop such flooding happening again.

But it appeared help could not come quick enough for some areas of the county at risk from flooding after an inch of rainfall last night andtoday.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: "There are floodwatches in place across the Vale of York and on the North York Moors.

"Flooding is possible although it is not expected to be anything like what we've had recently."

Vale of York Tory MP Anne McIntosh was meeting Environment Agency officials this afternoon to press the concerns of her flood-affected residents in Rawcliffe.

She said she would be asking the agency whether the Park and Ride scheme in the area had contributed to the flooding.

Meanwhile, anxious Ryedale residents were being reassured today that there was no imminent flood threat - despite many parts of the country being lashed by gale-force storms.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said staff had been monitoring rivers across North Yorkshire throughout the night, and there was still no cause for alarm.

He said: "The whole area is currently on flood watch.

"The wet weather is expected to continue, although by this morning we estimated we had received about half of the rainfall which was being predicted.

"It looks like the situation is not going to be as bad as was expected. However, the situation could change at a moment's notice and we will be keeping our eyes out for any more wet weather."