YORK escaped by the skin of its teeth today (Saturday) as the River Ouse reached record levels.

Citizens waited anxiously throughout the night as the floods were a mere two inches from overpowering the city's defences before the waters stabilised.

Many in the Selby area were less lucky, with the whole of Barlby being evacuated and around 17,500 homes left without power. Even miners in the local coalfield were affected.

And in Ryedale the anguish of waiting went on today with levels on the River Derwent slowly rising and again threatening the beleaguered twin towns of Malton and Norton.

Overnight in York, the combined effort of more than 900 people prevented major devastation as the river peaked at 3.30am - 17ft 10in above its normal level.

The previous highest was 17ft 7in above normal - recorded in 1625 and 1636.

More than 50,000 sandbags were deployed to shore up the flood walls and banks to prevent the Ouse spilling over - saving as many as 5,500 homes.

But the danger has not passed, warned Environment Agency area manager Craig McGarvey.

Further rain is predicted for Sunday and a further threat to homes cannot be ruled out.

Supt John Lacy, of York Police, described the defence of the city as a "phenomenal feat" after the emergency services combined with council workers, troops and brave residents to hold back the waters.

Hundreds of residents abandoned their homes to stay with friends and relatives moving furniture and valuables to the safety of higher ground.

Provision was made for hundreds of evacuees to stay at emergency centres at Archbishop Holgate School and York College centres, but many preferred to stay at home or with friends and relatives.

In the end only 13 people stayed overnight at the emergency centres.

The most seriously affected areas were Clementhorpe, Bootham Terrace and Marygate.

Further fights to save homes took place in Leeman Road, which were won when 150 local residents helped emergency services shore up the area with sand bags.

Evacuations were taking place in the Clementhorpe area as the water kept on rising.

The flood water rose at least three feet in two hours and the police, Army and fire service were on standby throughout the night.

Inspector Howard Harding said: "In the last couple of hours, the police, civil defence unit, Army and fire service have evacuated about twenty or thirty people by boat from River Street, the bottom end of Clementhorpe, Lower Darnborough Street and Colenso Street.

Severe flood warnings were also issued for the Walmgate, Fossgate and Foss Islands Road area as the Foss Barrier looked set to be breached.

The inner ring road was blocked at Foss Islands Road by the River Foss and by Castle Mills Bridge where the Ouse surged up Tower Street.

Motorists were urged to keep off the city's roads so Army vehicles could get through with vital troops and equipment.

City council highways chief Peter Evely said the whole population of Naburn was in the process of being evacuated.

Rest centres were set up at Archbishop Holgate's School and York College in Tadcaster Road.

And York International Youth Hostel in Water End, which has just won the Best Hotel award in the York Tourism Awards, threw its doors open to evacuees.

Adam Sinclair, chairman of the retail committee for York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce warned that shopkeepers in the region would lose millions of pounds because of the floods.

York Railway Station was evacuated and trains prevented from stopping after the electricity substation which supplies its power was flooded at around 7pm.

Hundreds of passengers en route to London, Hull, Newcastle and further north had to decamp onto the front concourse.

The Grand Opera House was under flood water and cancelled tonight's(SAT) performance of The Marriage Of Figaro by the Chisinau National Opera.

Insurance rating agency Standard and Poor today predicting that the cost of the ongoing floods and storms could reach more than £1 billion, if tomorrow's forecast for more rain comes true.

Corinne Cunningham, director of insurance ratings at S&P, said: "Once the floods have finally subsided, insurers could be looking at losses which match the £1.4 billion bill from the 1987 storm."

Anyone in York in imminent danger should call the council's emergency hotline on 01904-552999.

People should keep in touch with developments on the automated flood lines on 0845-988-1188.

Rain is forecast to begin falling at 6pm on Sunday, continuing through until Monday lunchtime, placing further pressure on the already stretched flood defences.

A spokesman for the council said another 25mm of rain was expected to fall in the next deluge.

The Ouse is expected to begin falling very slowly over the remainder of today but the threat of flooding remained and homeowners who evacuated were warned to stay away.

"It is impossible to say what will happen over the next few days," the spokesman said.

"There is still a threat of major flooding and a lot of work still needs to be done."