Selby War Memorial Hospital was evacuated today as the floods gained a tighter grip on the town.

About 30 patients were moved by ambulance to York District Hospital and Goole Hospital.

Next of kin were informed by staff at the Doncaster Road hospital.

Meanwhile, soldiers in lifejackets were drafted in to Selby today to strengthen a 50-metre stretch of river bank at Barlby which police said was "critical" in the battle to prevent widespread flooding.

Troop reinforcements from three Royal Artillery regiments were laying thousands of sandbags alongside the River Ouse between Barlby Crescent and Landing Lane in a race against time to stop the bank bursting.

Chinook helicopters from RAF Leconfield were airlifting sandbags to the river bank where troops were wearing lifejackets and had access to "throw lines".

The swollen Ouse again overtopped the flood defences at Barlby overnight, with water spilling over into the Wain Homes estate.

The river bank is waterlogged and Environment Agency engineers fear that with more rain and high tides on the way, it could burst.

A police spokesman said that although the latest high tide passed at 6am today without any river banks in the Selby area being breached, Barlby remained the major area of concern.

Police spokesman Ron Johnson said today's high tide peaked at 6.4 metres above normal in the Selby Dam area, slightly less than anticipated. Flood defences held and river levels remained fairly stable at present.

Hundreds more people at Selby and Barlby were evacuated from their homes last night.

Residents in Bondgate, the Holmes, Elston Place, and Coupland Road were evacuated to emergency accommodation at Sherburn High School because of fears that the swollen Selby Dam would overspill.

The area was saved after firefighters spent the night pumping water out from the dam.

The agency today issued a flood warning for south of the River Ouse from Selby Railway Station south to Hodgson chemical works and east to the Abbots Road Estate.

The chemical works in Bawtry Road closed today after 100 workers were sent home.

Water levels have remained stable at Cawood where 8,000 sandbags have been used to strengthen flood defences, and the banks of the River Aire also held tight at Beal and Birkin where some people have been evacuated.

Chapel Haddlesey and Selby's Flaxley Road primary schools were also closed today, adding to the long list of schools which have been shut.

Meanwhile, foul-smelling sewerage has been seeping into surface water at Bubwith, near Selby, after a Yorkshire Water pumping station stopped working.

A spokeswoman for Yorkshire Water said: "Any sewerage will be completely diluted by floodwater. The pumping station will start working again as soon as levels begin to drop.

"Meanwhile, police warned Selby residents not to set off rockets as they presented a major danger to the Chinook helicopters flying overhead. Powerful rockets were spotted blazing across the night sky as the aircraft dropped sandbags to shore up flood defences.

The emergency helplines are 01757 292065, 01757 292038 and 01757 292131. The Environment Agency floodline is 0845 988118.

Sandbags are available from Chapel Haddlesey School, junction of Manor Road and Common Lane, Beal, Red Lion, Kellington, Temple Hirst School, Wistow village hall, Cawood Castle, Ulleskelf Arms, Mill Lane, Ryther, Britannia car park, Tadcaster, Cross Keys, Stillingfleet, Kelfield parish hall, Riccall village green, junction of Back Lane and Main Street, North Duffield, and opposite Corner House Farm, South Duffield.