Women rescued from floods as a month-worth of rain falls in just two days in Skipton (From Craven Herald)

Women rescued from floods as a month-worth of rain falls in just two days in Skipton

10:39pm Friday 22nd June 2012 in Skipton & District

Floods struck Craven again today after a month’s worth of rain fell in just two days.

Two women had to be rescued by specialist teams after they got stuck inside their car on the flooded Heslaker Lane, at Carleton.

At 4.06pm this afternoon, fire service crews from Skipton and swift water rescue teams from Richmond and Whitby turned out to aid the women. Crews from Skipton attended first and lead the duo to safety using water rescue gear.

BBC weather presenter Paul Hudson said the old Met Office station at Skipton had recorded 25mm of rain yesterday, and 39mm so far today 39mm, a total of 64mm – the equivalent of a full month’s worth of rain. He warned that more was due this evening.

The Environment Agency issued numerous flood warnings across Craven, including on the River Aire and its tributaries from Gargrave to Stockbridge, Upper River Wharfe, , Broughton Beck at Elslack and Broughton Business Park and River Wenning at High Bentham.

The agency said water level at Grassington currently stands at 1.8 metres and it is expected to rise to 2.5 metres by the morning.

A spokesman said: “The rain is expected to last most of the day before clearing during the early hours of Saturday.”

The heavy rain was accompanied by heavy winds that left many roads covered in branches, adding to the unseasonably treacherous conditions.