
Buildings and cars were washed into raging rivers as yet more rain caused floods that devastated northern towns and opened a 20ft sinkhole on a vital motorway leading to Boxing Day chaos on the roads.

The widespread flooding also caused a gas explosion near Manchester and has left thousands of people without power, after the Met Office issued two red alerts for potentially deadly rain in the same day for the first time ever.

Two pubs were destroyed by water, and residents said they were lucky to be alive after part of a 200-year-old waterside drinking spot was washed into the raging river at Summerseat on the River Irwell.

Flood water ripped a gaping hole in the side of the Mill Hey Brew House in Haworth, and the floors on two storeys are on the brink of collapsing.

One hundred soldiers have been deployed to North Yorkshire to help flooded areas near the River Calder, the second deployment this week after the a battalion was sent to help improve flood defenses for Christmas in already devastated areas of Cumbria.

The weather also opened up a sinkhole on the M62, east of Manchester, causing hours of delays for thousands of drivers visiting family and returning home after Christmas on one off the north's most important roads.

Rescue crews were patrolling towns and cities in Lancashire and Yorkshire by boat, and one man was hauled from the sunroof of his Land Rover just moments before the car was filled with water.

Paramedics could only see a couple of inches of the roof of the car from the surface of the water that flooded Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, when they launched the dramatic rescue operation. The relieved driver was then taken to hospital for treatment for hypothermia.

And heavily populated towns and cities including Leeds, Bolton, Salford and Rochdale look set to be hit by floods later on as the rain continues to fall in areas near already swollen rivers.

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The Waterside Pub partially collapsed due to flooding in the River Irwell and some of the building was swept away in raging waters

Drone footage shows the true extent of the damage to the pub, most of which has washed away in the raging river water

Rescue services saved residents from a house on Coach Road in Baildon, near Bradford from flood waters after the River Aire burst its banks

Air support: The coastguard were also deployed in Mytholmroyd, northwest England after rivers burst their banks

The River Irwell which devides manchester and Salford has burst it banks on the stretch just at the back of The Lowry Hotel

Central Manchester was under a deluge today. Above, outside the city's Lowry Hotel beside the River Irwell

Damaged: The Mill Hey Brew House in Haworth, west Yorkshire suffered severe damage from the floodwater

Part of the historic building, in Summerseat, Greater Manchester, which sits on a bridge over the River Irwell, was swept away in the raging waters

Rescue crews were patrolling towns and cities in Lancashire and Yorkshire by boat, and one man was hauled from the sunroof of his Land Rover just moments before the car was filled with water

Water rises above the level of shop windows on Boxing Day as floods devastated the main shopping street near Hendon Bridge

In Rochdale Town Centre, cars have been left stranded in the streets in the horrendous floods that have hit the entire region

Emergency services rescue residents from flooded homes on King Street in Whalley, Lancashire, as the rain batters down

The old Waterside pub in Summerseat, Greater Manchester, has collapsed due to the torrential rain in the area on Boxing Day

Red alerts issued today are the highest possible warnings, meaning there is 'a danger to life'. They urged people in the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber to 'take action', expect travel disruption and be prepared to evacuate their homes. The warnings are so rare that the last two were issued a year apart.

Around five inches of rain is expected to fall today, almost as much as the average December rainfall in the UK, sparking more than 400 flood alerts as rivers reached record levels.

Rescue teams have been sent out to help people evacuate their flooded homes, as Boxing Day football matches and racing events were cancelled.

The pressure of the water in the River Irwell has forced one of arches at the old Waterside pub to collapse, resulting in the destruction of half the building.

No-one was inside the two-storey disused pub at the time but Adrian Costello, 32, was about to walk across the bridge when he saw the building come down.

Adrian, an outsource operations manager who lives in The Spinnings apartment block beside the pub, said: 'I was walking into the car park at The Spinnings and heard a loud crumbling and crashing sound.

The River Irwell has burst its banks in Summerseat, Greater Manchester, as torrential rain batters the North of England today

The River Irwell is almost full of water as torrential rain battered down over Summerseat in Greater Manchester today

Elsewhere in West Yorkshire, the River Calder burst its banks, leaving what was once a street flooded with water as far as the eye can see

In Brighouse, near the Calder, water has filled the streets on a day when the Environment Agency has issued more than 400 flood warnings

This car, also seen above, has been stranded in Brighouse, where it is now almost impossible to get around without a boat

'I turned to my left and watched The Waterside crumble into the river from being fully intact to disintegrating in front of my eyes. It was like a scene from a film. It was gone in a few seconds. There was dust everywhere. I was about 20 to 30 metres away so I was alright. But we were just about to cross the bridge.

'Had we gone over it 30 seconds earlier we would have been under all the rubble and it would have been a different story. I used to go drinking in that pub so I have fond memories of it. I am sure a lot of people have. It's just sad and surreal.'

We heard this big bang and then we started seeing things floating down the river - beer barrels, bits out of the kitchen, tins of bins that kind of thing Julia Christie, witness

Another witness, Julia Christie, 28, who lives in Summerseat, said: 'I live near the river and we could see it getting higher and higher so we went down to take a look.

'We heard this big bang and then we started seeing things floating down the river - beer barrels, bits out of the kitchen, tins of bins that kind of thing.

'I managed to walk up and have a closer look before police closed it all off.

'It just looks awful. It's so sad. It had been closed for quite a few years but the building's been there for 200 years apparently and now it's gone.

'I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't completely collapse into the river tonight. 'The whole of the main floor of the building has caved in.'

Neil Hughes said the flooding which made the old Waterside pub collapse was the worst he had ever seen.

The 52-year-old music promoter told MailOnline: 'People who have lived here for 40 years have said they have never seen anything like it - it is certainly the worst I have seen.

'The water is absolutely gushing and the village is completely flooded. It's amazing the power of the water near the pub. You could hear the noise of the building breaking.'

A 20ft sinkhole opened up on the M62 westbound carriageway near Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The Highways Agency have shut the road between junctions 20 and 19, sparking traffic chaos in the area

Flooding on the tracks at Walsden Station in Lancashire, where water is almost reaching the platforms, due to heavy rain in the area

A man wades through flood waters at Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, where flood sirens were sounded after torrential downpours

There are more than 200 flood warnings across Britain as home and business owners prepare for serious flooding. Pictured is flooding in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire

A caravan park inundated by flood water after the River Nidd burst its banks in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire

The River Calder bursts its banks in the Calder Valley town of Mytholmroyd, North Yorkshire, reaching halfway up a bus stop

Emergency services rescue residents from flooded homes on King Street in Whalley, Lancashire this morning

Residents could do nothing but watch in the town of Brighouse, West Yorkshire, as the raging River Calder escaped into the streets after five inches of rain brought flooding to hundreds of people's homes

A children's playground is half submerged in water as rivers burst their banks on Boxing Day in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire

A 20ft sinkhole opened up on the M62 westbound carriageway near Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The Highways Agency have shut the road between junctions 20 and 19, sparking traffic chaos in the area.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: 'We are having a lot of run-off water from the heavy rainfall which is making things take longer than they usually would.

'It's too early to say exactly how long the repairs will take but we should be able to provide an update later this afternoon or early this evening once we have been able to assess the damage.

'In the meantime diversions will be put in place which should ease the congestion for drivers.'

There was a suspected gas explosion in Bury, Greater Manchester, due to the flooding near an ASDA supermarket

The area was sealed off and the fire brigade were called to put out the flames around 3.30pm. Eye-witness Saeed Atcha, 19, told the MEN: 'There was a big bang and a huge plume of smoke and then there was an orange light. It was very very scary, like something out of a movie'

There was a suspected gas explosion in Bury, Greater Manchester, due to the flooding near an ASDA supermarket.

The area was sealed off and the fire brigade were called to put out the flames around 3.30pm.

Eye-witness Saeed Atcha, 19, told the MEN: 'There was a big bang and a huge plume of smoke and then there was an orange light. It was very very scary, like something out of a movie.

'A police officer came running over. He was panicking and telling us to get away because there had been a gas explosion. Peel Way was shut in both directions.'

Pictured is the market town of Otley, North Yorkshire, where the river Wharfe, has burst its banks. Residents look on as water levels rise

Water has reached five feet in places. The village of Ribchester on the River Ribble, Lancashire has burst its banks in the early hours of this morning

An elderly resident is rescued from her flooded home in Littleborough in Greater Manchester as torrential rain caused mass flooding

Rescue boats were also needed in Baildon, near Bradford, where the water level was so high that is could have rushed into windows after the River Aire burst its banks. This man needed to be rescued after the water flooded his home

A police car has submerged in the flood water in Littleborough, Greater Manchester, as torrential rain wreaked havoc in the North of England

The Army has been deployed to some villages to bolster flood defences as rain continues to fall across the north. Pictured is Mytholmroyd

A woman passes items through an upstairs window of a house in Mytholmroyd in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, where flood sirens were sounded after torrential downpours

Residents evacuate their homes on Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire as the River Calder burst its banks due to the heavy rain

Around 10,000 homes in Rochdale and Lancashire have lost their electricity supply after flood waters hit a main substation.

Electricity North West said extra engineers have been on standby and teams are working to repair the damage.

Mark Williamson, operations director for Electricity North West, said: 'We're continuing to work hard in extremely difficult conditions to restore supplies to as many people as we can as quickly as possible, but severe flooding has caused damage to local substations in Rochdale and Lancashire.

'We have drafted in extra engineers and will continue to work throughout the day to get everyone back on and we are here 24 hours a day seven days a week so please contact us if you need any advice or information.'

Boxing Day travel woes have been compounded by flooding. North Wales has been worst hit, with drivers being forced to abandon their waterlogged cars in some areas.

Motorists near flood-affected areas have been warned by police not to travel unless absolutely necessary on a day when many train services are not in operation.

A young family evacuate their home due to flooding in Littleborough, Greater Manchester, where flood water is almost as high as the windows in local homes

Rescue workers patrol the waters after the River Calder bursts its banks. The army has now been deployed to help people in Calderdale

With the ground already saturated, heavy rain over the past 24 hours has caused rivers to rise rapidly and the waterlogged A55 north Wales expressway is closed in both directions between junctions 11 and 15.

The B5109 Llanfaes Beaumaris is also closed, as is the A5/A470 junction at Waterloo Bridge.

There is also heavy flooding on the A487 Bangor and the road is closed from Vaynol roundabout up to the St David's retail park.

The Highways Agency also reports congestion A663 southbound between the A669 and the junction with the M60 in Lancashire.

Superintendent Nigel Harrison, who is leading the North Wales Police effort to the co-ordinated response, said: 'Every effort is being made to ensure all the major road networks are reopened as soon as possible and people living in the affected areas need to heed the warnings and only travel when it is absolutely necessary.

'We are in close liaison with Natural Resources Wales to ensure the necessary steps are taken should any further evacuation be required.

'We are advising people not to travel unless it is absolutely essential, and then to allow extra time for journey as driving conditions may be difficult.

'Floodwater can be extremely dangerous and people should not attempt to walk or drive through it unless instructed by the emergency services.'

A rescue crew from the Fire service helps someone from flooded Coach Road, Bailfdon, near Bradford, onto the bank

Two women were also helped onto the same steps in Baildon, where rescue efforts to find those in danger are taking place by boat

Limited rail services are being offered by Stansted Express, Chiltern Railways, Gatwick Express, Heathrow Express, Merseyrail, ScotRail, Southeastern, Southern and Thameslink, but no other operators are offering any services.

Trains will resume on December 27 but much of north Wales and the north of England will still be suffering from severe floods.

Twenty-one of the most severe flood warnings were also put out for the North West by the Environment Agency (EA) as forecasters predicted around 4.8ins (122mm) of rain could fall.

In total, across the the whole country, more than 400 flood warnings were in place by 6pm today - 22 of them red, the most severe level.

In Leeds, a severe flood warning has been put in place for the city centre, with the River Aire expected to reach a record peak later on.

The EA said it was due to 'significant impacts to infrastructure and risk to life in the area'.

'The peak at Leeds Crown Point is expected around 23:00 tonight,' it said.

'This is the highest ever record and higher than in 2007. We are working with police and other partners to maintain public safety.

'We are also supporting the co-ordinated multi-agency response. We are closely monitoring the situation from the Leeds Incident Room which is open.'

A Audi car driver takes the risk of driving through flood water in the village of Ribchester on the River Ribble, Lancashire

Tractors drive through flood waters near the village of Dalton in North Yorkshire as heavy rain battered the North of England today

A police car struggles to make its away through the village of Ribchester, Lancashire, where the River Ribble has burst its banks

Residents battle against flood water as the River Calder bursts its banks in the Calder Valley town of Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire

David Skipp in the market town of Otley, North Yorkshire, where the River Wharfe, has burst its banks due to the heavy rain

A man struggles to get through the moving flood water as the River Calder burst its banks in the Calder Valley town in West Yorkshire

A car is abandoned in high flood water on a road leading into Ribchester. The village of Ribchester on the River Ribble, Lancashire has burst its banks in the early hours of this morning

Heavy rain fell over Christmas night and forecasters have warned it will continue in Lancashire for most of the day. Pictured is Ribchester

Road signs are half submerged after the River Calder burst its banks in the Calder Valley town of Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire

Earlier today, the River Calder burst its banks in the Calder Valley town of Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, reaching halfway up bus stops and sheds. Residents battled against the flood water as they decided whether to evacuate their homes.

In the Calderdale area, in West Yorkshire, roads turned into streams and rivers as torrents off water poured off nearby fields and hillsides on to the ground below.

Cars queued on a main road near Bradford as drivers attempted to pass through deep standing water that had collected on the carriageway.

At Luddenden Foot, the River Calder and he Rochdale Canal had burst their banks, leaving a row of houses and a bowling club under water.

Signs in Halifax warned drivers that roads into Todmorden and Mytholmroyd were closed due to flooding. And near Mytholmroyd, a police car was stopping traffic on the A646 Burnley Road.

Cars were pictured struggling to get through water today in Ribchester, Lancashire as the water rose and spilled onto the streets.

Residents were seen being rescued in Whalley, in Lancashire, as the water had flooded their home.

The main road in the village, King Street, was submerged as some residents were evacuated by rescue boats as the water levels continued to rise with the persistent downpour

A lack of available sandbags was a cause of concern as the emergency services and around 30 soldiers from the Army are working tirelessly at the scene.

Christine Atty, who owns the Dog Inn on King Street, said the back of her pub has been flooded, forcing them to stop serving food.

The 66-year-old told MailOnline: 'It's stopped coming in now and we are still open, but we have had to stop serving food because the back in like a swimming pool.

'At the bottom of King Street we could see people being evacuated by the Army. People are still popping in to the pub, so we are giving them free coffees. We've had flooding before, but never as bad as this.'

Hairdresser Kellie Hughes, who lives in King Street, said the situation was 'a million times worse' than a fortnight ago when the same street was flooded.

She said: 'It's just horrific, really bad. I've got the sandbags down here and just doing the best I possibly can.

'There are no more sandbags anywhere. People are panicking. That's my business and my home, it's a double whammy.'

Emergency services rescue residents from flooded homes on King Street in Whalley, Lancashire this morning as weather warnings are issued across Lancashire and Yorkshire this Boxing Day

Pictured is the flooding in the Calder Valley town of Mytholmroyd, where the water has risen high, almost reaching the traffic light button

Torrential rain has forced rivers to break their banks across the North of England causing devastation for many in the festive season. Pictured is Otley, North Yorkshire

Elswhere, the road through Ribchester was completely submerged as was parts of the main road through Padiham town centre nearly Burnley.

The region's fire brigade has warned motorists in the county not to drive unless they have to.

'The rain is awful across the whole county. Don't drive unless you need to,' a spokesman posted on Twitter.

Lancashire Police have warned people to stay away from St Michaels and shared a photo online of flood waters threatening to spill over the sides of a road bridge.

'Please avoid the area as we may have to close the road,' the force tweeted.

Police have been advising residents who live near the affected rivers to start deciding whether they want to leave their homes.

People are being told to move valuables and take advice from emergency services about evacuation.

Police have been advising residents who live near the affected rivers to start deciding whether they want to leave their homes. Pictured is an officer speaking to a resident, who lives near the River Ribble in Ribchester, Lancashire

A drain struggles to cope as the River Calder bursts its bank's in the Calder Valley town of Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire

Water trickles down Caldene Avenue, in Mytholdmroyd, West Yorkshire, as the River Calder Bursts its banks

Greater Manchester Police tweeted that its worst hit areas were Salford, Bolton, Bury and Rochdale.

Speaking after a second multi-agency strategy meeting in Greater Manchester, Assistant Chief Constable John O'Hare said: 'We are continuing to work closely with our partner agencies to identify the greatest areas of risk and to provide the best possible response.

'All local authorities are providing updates on their websites and social media channels so please keep checking them to find out the latest information.

'Although the rain has slowed now, we are expecting further rainfall between 6pm and 11pm tonight.

'If you are in any areas that have been affected please take steps to protect your property by elevating valuable and sentimental items.

'I want to assure everybody that emergency services and local authorities are continuing to work tirelessly to help those affected by the floods.

'Please continue to look out for your friends, family and neighbours and remember to stay safe.'

The last Met Office 'danger to life' alert in the UK was at the start of the month, when Storm Desmond hit Cumbria. Before that, there has only been three of its kind in the last three years - for severe gales when 108mph winds battered North Wales in February 2014, in January 2013 for snow in Wales and also in July 2012 for flooding in South West England.

The Government's emergency Cobra committee met on Christmas Day while a company from the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, helped committees across the North West build miles of temporary flood defences.

The EA said 85 per cent of the country's temporary flood barriers had been sent to Cumbria, where rainfall has smashed records, and the Lakeland region braced itself again ahead of the deluge.

The village of Ribchester on the River Ribble, Lancashire has burst its banks in the early hours of this morning

Flood defences have been breached already this morning as a red alert for rain has been issued by the Met Office for Lancashire

Rising flood waters creep up on cars left by residents in Ribchester in Lancashire, where the EA has issued the most severe flood warning

Heavy rain fell over Christmas night and forecasters have warned it will continue in Lancashire for most of the day

At 8.45am today the north of Britain was battered by rain showers, with parts of Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire getting the worst of it

Floods Minister Rory Stewart said that rainfall levels in the flood-hit areas were unprecedented.

'We're looking potentially again today at maybe a month's rainfall coming in a day. That's falling on ground that's very saturated. As the rain falls, the rivers respond very quickly,' he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

'Certainly what we've seen is rainfall levels that nobody's ever seen before.

'If somebody had said two years ago when we were designing these flood defences that we could get 13 inches of rain in a day, the answer from the engineers would have been 'Why are you making that kind of prediction? We have never seen this before.'

'I think this is why people are right to start focusing on uncertainty and why people obviously are very interested in the question of climate change.'

ADVERSE WEATHER AFFECTS BOXING DAY FOOTBALL MATCHES IN SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND AS WELL AS RACING The Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackburn and Middlesbrough is the highest profile game to go with torrential rain in the North West leaving the Ewood Park surface unplayable. League One has been the hardest hit with fixtures between Blackpool and Oldham, Bradford and Burton, Bury and Barnsley, Rochdale and Crewe, and Wigan and Sheffield United all falling foul of the weather. Games between Hartlepool and Notts County, Morecambe and Mansfield, York and Northampton, and Accrington and Carlisle are all also off due to waterlogged pitches. It is the third successive home game for Stanley which has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and comes just days after boss John Coleman criticised the Football League for allowing Carlisle to play three 'home' games at other venues after their Brunton Park ground was flooded. Vanarama National League games at Altrincham, Guiseley and Barrow are also off. Scotland has not survived the downpour, with the Ladbrokes Premiership clashes between Dundee United and Motherwell and Partick Thistle versus St Johnstone postponed, while lower league clashes between Raith and Alloa, Cowdenbeath and Albion, and Arbroath and East Stirling have also fallen foul of the weather. Football is not the only sport to have been affected either, with officials at Wetherby Racecourse calling off both days of their Christmas fixture following flooding at the track while this afternoon's meeting at Limerick has also been abandoned. Advertisement

Paul Mustow, Deputy Director in Flood and Coastal Risk Management at the Flood Forecasting Centre, said: 'Our thoughts are with all those who have had their homes and businesses flooded, some several times, in the run up to Christmas.

'Our operational teams are working throughout the Christmas period to take action to reduce the potential impacts of flooding and support those communities affected.'

Eleven flood warnings have been issued in Scotland covering the Borders and Tayside areas.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) also has three 'be prepared' flood alerts in place in the north east and Dumfries and Galloway.

In the Outer Hebrides, CalMac ferry sailings were cancelled for the day in North Uist and South Uist. Services have also been affected on Bute and the Isle of Lewis.

David Faichney, Duty Hydrology Manager from SEPA, said: 'SEPA staff will be working closely with the Met Office and other partners throughout the holiday period to ensure that flood alerts and warnings are issued promptly.

'We would encourage the public to remain vigilant and check the SEPA or call SEPA's Floodline for the most up-to-date information on their area.'

Traffic Scotland urged caution over surface water on the roads in the Fife and Lothian and Borders regions.

Stormy weather forced the cancellation of an annual Boxing Day dunk in the North Sea.

Up to 200 people had been expected to take part in the Nippy Dipper fundraising event at Aberdeen beach.

Organisers the Aberdeen Lions Club said rough seas meant they could not guarantee everyone's safety. Several people turned up ahead of the planned 10.30am start and decided to brave the waves anyway.

Members of the Grampian Haemophilia Group turned up in Roman dress, complete with a home-made chariot.

Albert England, 69, took part in the dip for the 14th time. Asked how it felt, the fundraiser dressed as Julius Caesar, said: 'Very cold.'

Others decided to heed the warnings and went home dry.

Couple Cameron Hay and Sammi-Jo Inkson, both 20, had turned up ready to brave the icy sea wearing Cookie Monster costumes.

Mr Hay said: 'I was dreading the weather but I was ready to do it. We'd raised £100 for charity and I thought I'd man up and go for it, so I am pretty gutted it's off.'

Co-ordinator Chris Southworth, from the Aberdeen Lions Club, said: 'We saw the rough state of the sea, the onshore wind, and we felt that it was unsafe.

'There was too much of a risk, particularly with the strong wind, of hypothermia. We thought the only sensible thing was to cancel for this year.

'I've been involved for 16 years and it's the first time it's been cancelled in that time.'

There are plans to reschedule the Nippy Dipper for Saturday January 2, weather permitting.

Wet wet wet: December has been dull and wet across the UK, with sunshine well down on the long-term average and precipitation above

Troops spent yesterday putting up emergency flood defences in Appleby, Cumbria, and surrounding areas.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, based at Weeton Barracks near Preston, distributed sandbags to protect homes and businesses in Appleby, as well as setting up temporary flood defence equipment in the high-risk areas.

Major Nick Higgins told Sky News: 'The people of Appleby and the surrounding area we have been operating in have been massively affected by these storms and it's important that we are here to help them.'

The deployment meant the soldiers were away from their families at Christmas, but it was 'a working day' with tasks to complete. 'Today is business as usual,' he added.

The Environment Agency put 700 staff on stand-by over Christmas and dozens were despatched to help troops.

Flood defence gates have been closed at Carlisle, Keswick and Cockermouth – the areas hardest hit by Storm Desmond less than three weeks ago – and 20 extra pumps along with two kilometres of temporary flood barriers have been moved to the county.

Troops from the Duke of Lancaster Regiment, 2nd Battalion, battle the weather and work through Christmas Day night to erect flood defences in the Cumbrian village of Braithwaite which is in danger flooding

Flood defences were built by soldiers overnight in the Cumbrian village of Braithwaite, which is in danger of flooding today

Troops spent the night building flood defences and laying sandbags in Cumbria, where three storms have hit in the space of a month

The odds on the wettest December in history have been slashed by leading bookmaker Coral this morning into evens (from 3/1) following a flurry of bets today.

Meanwhile, it is still odds-on at 1/2 that this December will be warmest since records began following a mild Christmas Day.

'With more rain set for the rest of the month, the odds now suggest this could be the wettest December we have ever encountered and punters agree as we have seen a flurry of bets on a record rainfall over the last couple of days,' said Coral's John Hill.