
This incredible photograph taken from space shows how Storm Frank is heading for Britain with residents of flood-hit communities in the north of England bracing themselves for further misery.

Residents of some of the worst-hit areas today claimed the widespread deluge had transformed towns and villages into a 'Third World country' and said the flooding was like living in a 'war zone'.

Troops and mountain rescue teams have spent much of the day evacuating residents from properties across York, after rivers toppled flood defences following heavy downpours on Boxing Day.

While many were hoping the floodwaters might begin to recede in the coming days, forecasters announced that the country's sixth named storm - Frank - is heading straight for the UK, bringing 80mph winds and more than three inches of rain.

The weather system, shown in spectacular images from NASA, is heading towards Britain and is expected to cause a 'significant impact' – particularly to those in the already-flooded northern regions – when it hits on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

The Met Office has now issued severe amber-graded weather warnings – which advise residents to 'be prepared' for extreme weather – amid concerns the storm will bring additional flooding.

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A storm approaches: This satellite image from the NASA MODIS instruments Terra and Aqua shows Storm Frank approaching Britain (top right) in the wake of 'unprecedented' rainfall which has caused widespread flooding in the north of England. Forecasters have warned that more heavy rain is heading for Britain and Northern Ireland towards the middle of this week, with winds of up to 80mph by Wednesday

Assessing the damage: Prime Minister David Cameron visited some of the worst flood-hit areas in York today to offer his sympathy

Visit: Mr Cameron visits a local council depot as local volunteers and the British Army fill sandbags to stem flood water in York city centre

Heckled: One woman shouted 'no more cuts' at David Cameron as he helped flooding victims in the deluged York city centre today

Bring in the troops: A Chinook helicopter was seen delivering supplies to help repair a flood defence barrier in York today after it was besieged by floodwater. The Army chopper was scrambled to deliver necessary equipment to help get the Foss barrier back working

Incredible: Dramatic photographs show a Chinook helicopter delivering supplies to a flood defence station in York earlier this morning

Help is on the way: Supplies were delivered by air to help repair the Foss flood barrier in York which was deliberately opened by the Environment Agency yesterday - sending raging torrents of water towards the historic city and leading to the evacuation of properties

The worst-hit areas: This graphic shows where the majority of people have been evacuated since Boxing Day due to the flooding

A Met Office spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are expecting very strong winds, fairly widespread but particularly along the western coasts.

'Although the low pressure system is slightly to the north of the UK, the impact will be felt in Britain.

'Parts of Cumbria and southern Scotland might see the biggest impact from the rainfall while western coasts will see the worst of the wind. Most places in the country will see 80mph winds, so there will be severe gales.

'We are going to see quite a few impacts from this, particularly in those areas that have seen flooding in recent days.'

The Met Office said the front would move 'very slowly' across the UK meaning it lingers over the country throughout Wednesday, before beginning to move off towards the Continent in the evening.

The news will not be welcomed by flood victims, many of whom today described how they were living in 'war zone' conditions after seeing their properties fill with murky floodwater.

Elaine Ward, 54, and her husband Dave, 55, who run their own business making furniture and wooden gifts, were forced to abandon their home when their garden overlooking the River Yarrow turned into 'a swimming pool'.

The Army rescued them in a boat as the water seeping into their cottage in Croston, Lancashire, got deeper.

Mrs Ward said: 'The river was running against us like a tsunami. It was chest height and it was freezing. I don't want to live here knowing this is going to happen again. It's like a war zone.

'It came up through the floor, the water was pouring in through the window. I saw a dining room table and two chairs floating past. Within 20 minutes the garden rose. It was so heavy you couldn't get the door open. Everything is just wrecked.'

Mr Ward added: 'It happened too fast. It's like living in a Third World country but the people here are fantastic, you can't criticise the community spirit.

'The Government has got to look at it - the people who are spending, have they got the intelligence and are they spending it in the right places?'

The couple's neighbours have been frantically moving belongings upstairs as mud and sludge filled cupboards and fridges.

Food has had to be thrown away along with white goods, tables and chairs and those who have managed to salvage furniture have stacked it on plastic boxes in living rooms and kitchens.

Ian Hargreaves said he had only been able to start his clean-up operation after the water was pumped away by fire engines - including one privately owned one which offered to help the village.

The 48-year-old, whose hair salon business was also hit by the floods in 2012, said 'it's all gone' as he waded through what was left of his high street shop.

Mr Hargreaves, who did not have insurance due to a £10,000 excess because of the previous flood, said: 'We had insurance, then we claimed on that and they didn't want to know us. There was an excess of £10,000 so we didn't bother.

'I'm waiting for the electricity to come on but I'm not doing anything until next week because on Wednesday it is going to rain again.'

He added: 'The main road through was just like a river and then it stopped being like a river with a flow to it - it was more like a duck pond. Afterwards it was like a war zone.'

A woman cleans the inside window of her wine bar as the floodwaters rise from the River Foss and Ouse after their burst their banks

Unprecedented: Flood-stricken residents across York have an anxious wait as flood levels are expected to keep rising through the night

The evacuations continue: Rescue service workers evacuate residents from their flooded homes in York city centre for a third day in a row

Need a piggyback? Rescue service workers evacuate residents from their flooded homes in York city centre as people flee their homes

Heading for safety: A man waded through a flooded street while carrying a bag of his possessions in York city centre this aftern

Can we help? Firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service were among those searching for and rescuing people affected by floods in York

Still no getting out: Cars remained submerged in floodwater in York today despite waters finally starting to recede but more rain is coming

As residents loaded their Christmas trees into refuse trucks following the Boxing Day floods it became too much for some, who broke down and hugged each another.

In between sweeping the muddy water from their homes, they fell silent as they watched other weary neighbours assess their homes.

Bryn Ashcroft, 56, who installs chimneys and flues and who has lived in the village all his life, said he had never seen flooding like it.

'In 1987 it was bad but this is a lot worse. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It's everything afterwards - the aftermath.'

Villagers were given their first warning at around 1am on Boxing Day when those with telephones received a call notifying them of an amber alert.

But by noon it was a case of rounding up sandbags in an attempt to try to prevent the water from seeping in as the alert changed to red.

Mr Ashcroft said: 'Locals have their own ideas but the Environment (Agency) don't listen to us - they pay lots of people instead.

'It never stopped on Boxing Day and then it was too late, the water was in.

'It's been very difficult. People who have never had it done will be worried to death. People are just waiting for it to happen again, they are worried.

'We were on amber alert again last night. But people pull together and we see what sort of community we have. I have been amazed where people have come from to help. It will take months to recover from this.'

Elsewhere, residents across York city centre were still being evacuated today by Army troops and mountain rescue teams today as floodwater – chest-deep in places – continued to blight properties.

More than 500 Army troops have already been scrambled to help emergency services deal with the major incident, and another 1,000 soldiers remain on standby should the situation worsen.

Residents are now facing another night away from home as the catastrophic flooding continues to cause widespread disruption.

Military personnel were mobilised on Sunday to help people in Yorkshire and Lancashire as they battled to keep rising floodwaters from the doors of their homes and businesses.

But sandbags were not enough to save some, and hundreds of people had to be evacuated from their homes after rivers in York, Leeds and Manchester burst their banks after 'unprecedented' rain in recent days.

Evacuations: Members of the emergency services speak to a woman outside a flooded house in York as they prepare to help her to safety

Another rescue: Members of the emergency services rescue a woman from a flooded house in York after the river Ouse burst its banks

Back to work: Rescue teams wade through waist-deep floodwaters that have inundated homes in the Huntington Road area of York

Alternative transport: Two people used a wooden canoe to paddle down the flooded streets of York as floodwater continues to block roads

Helping out: Mountain rescue teams waded through the deep floodwaters in the Huntington Road area of York as evacuations continued

By boat: Two members of the emergency services go door-to-door by boat in York as they continue to search for stricken residents

Running like a river: Floodwater filled the streets in York today as residents faced a third day of the floods which hit the city on Sunday

The clean-up begins: Elsewhere today, residents and business owners in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, faced a huge clear-out following flooding

Sifting through: A volunteer takes a ruined television for collection on Tadcaster High Street as volunteers help to minimise the damage

Damaged: One van appeared to be crushed by the remains of a building which was blown down in high winds in West Yorkshire

Explaining: Mr Cameron was seen chatting and gesturing as he spoke with members of the flood-hit community in York earlier today

'We will do whatever is needed': The Prime Minister, pictured visiting troops helping the flood victims, vowed to review flood defences

Briefing: The Prime Minister speaks with members of the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment who have been helping residents

Making progress: Mr Cameron spoke with members of the British Army and mountain rescue teams who are all helping with the flooding

Flying in: The Prime Minister arrived into the flood-hit north via this helicopter, which landed at Leeds East Airport in North Yorkshire

Downcast: Labour MP Simon Danczuk visited flood-hit businesses in Rochdale today just hours after his girlfriend split up with him

The Government has now vowed to look again at the quality of the UK's flood defences as home and business owners face up to a miserable start to the new year.

Visiting flood-hit areas of York today, Prime Minister David Cameron was heckled by members of the public who said the Government should be doing more.

One woman shouted 'no more cuts to public services' as the PM spoke to a team from the Scarborough mountain rescue, who had deployed with a dinghy on a submerged street in York.

However, Mr Cameron defended funding for flood prevention amid calls for a 'complete rethink' of preparations for increasingly extreme weather.

He said it was untrue that funding for flood defences had seen a 20 per cent cut but insisted a major review of policy would look at whether more needed to be done and whether the strategy should be changed.

It came after Environment Agency deputy chief executive David Rooke said a 'complete rethink' of the UK's flood preparations had to include making homes more resilient, as well as seeking to hold back waters.

FLOODING IN NUMBERS 4,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes in York since the floods began on Boxing Day 500 soldiers have deployed to the north of England and an additional 1,000 remain on standby today 197 flood warnings and alerts are in place as of 11am today, with 27 warning of a 'danger to life' 10,000 homes have been left without power across the north of England in the last 48 hours £1.5billion is the total amount the local economy is expected to lose in the Christmas floods, according to financial experts 80mph winds are forecast for the country in the next couple of days Four inches of rain could hit the already-saturated communities as a new weather front moves in on Wednesday Advertisement

Speaking today, he said: 'We are in a period of known extremes and we are moving into a period of unknown extremes.

He also suggested a Government-ordered review would decide by the summer whether existing assumptions remained valid.

He added: 'We will need to have that complete rethink and I think we will need to move from not just providing better defences - and we have a £2.3billion programme to do that over the next six years - but looking at increasing resilience so that, when properties do flood, they've got solid floors, we have waterproof plaster, we've moved the electrics up the wall, people can get back into their homes, their businesses, very quickly and that we continue to improve our flood warning systems so that, in the event of defences overtopping, people have time to take action and we can save lives.'

Shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy said the Government must 'drop its complacency' over the need for climate change adaptation.

Comedian Jason Manford, who lives in the flood-hit Salford, Greater Manchester, also waded in on the flooding row, taking to Facebook to bemoan the Government for failing to do more to help the flood victims.

He spoke out ahead of a charity gig in Kendal, Cumbria, this evening in aid of the flood victims.

He said: 'Not only this Government, but past governments have totally ruined the British landscape with erosive policies and subsidiaries going to the wrong people for doing the wrong thing.

'How can George Osborne live with raking in millions on the VAT victims have to spend on flood defences?

'Owen Paterson, the former Environmental Secretary, had the chance to fix all these wrongs yet they're still paying farmers to rip up trees leaving the land bare and without natural flood defences!

'We, all of the voting public, need to remind our politicians that they are 'in office' not 'in power'. They work for us and need to remember that.'

Emergency financial assistance will now be put in place for affected areas, and homes and businesses damaged by flooding will have access to the same package of support announced for those affected by Storm Desmond.

It comes after financial experts warned the economic impact of the latest wave of flooding could be 'significant' amid estimations the total loss to the economy could top £1.5billion.

The flooding in Cumbria and Lancashire earlier this month caused economic losses of between £900million and £1.3billion, but Mohammed Khan, of professional services firm PwC, warned the latest flooding could prove even worse.

The clean-up begins: The people of Tadcaster have begun a huge clean up operation this morning after the River Wharf broke its banks

Clearing out: Homeowners and business owners face a day spent cleaning up their properties after flooding hit Bridge Street, Tadcaster

Sorting out: Three men sort out their damaged belongings as they begin the huge clean-up operation today following floods in Tadcaster

Danger: Police tape covers the entrance to one property in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, as flood waters finally recede today, leaving mud behind

Helping out: The community of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, came together today as residents helped each other with the huge clean-up

A nightmare after Christmas: Residents began sifting through damaged and soiled items today as they began the clean-up in Tadcaster

Deluge: Mud and silt covered the roads through the centre of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, today after the floodwaters finally receded

What a mess: Mud and debris remains scattered across the main road in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, after floodwaters finally eased away

On call: Firefighters were among those from the emergency services who were on hand to help flood victims begin the clean-up operation

Scenes of devastation: A volunteer takes ruined property for collection on Tadcaster High Street as the clean-up operation continues

Christmas is over: A worker drags a Christmas tree along the main road in Tadcaster High Street after it was ruined by the severe floods

Happy days: Newlyweds Lucy Emmott and husband Pete Dixon celebrate outside their wedding at Selby Abbey in North Yorkshire after fears it was going to be ruined by floods. The flooded River Ouse lies just 100 yards from the Abbey and meant that two of the main routes into the town were completely closed. However, all the guests and the bride arrived on time and the wedding went ahead as planned

Earlier today, an Army helicopter delivered additional supplies and repair equipment to a flood-hit area of York as troops continued to work around-the-clock to help those stricken by the deluge.

The Chinook helicopter was seen delivering supplies to a flood gate in the historic city in a bid to help repair the defence system which was besieged by floodwater from the rivers Ouse and Foss.

Workers are desperately trying to repair the flood barriers to help pump floodwater out of homes after thousands had to be evacuated.

The British Army and mountain rescue teams spent yet another day evacuating residents and handing out sandbags to stricken properties.

In York, a makeshift rest centre was set-up at Archbishop Holgate's School last night, with food, water and cleaning supplies all donated by local businesses.

Mountain rescue teams from as far away as Wales and Cornwall enjoyed a 'school dinner' breakfast after spending the night catching up on sleep in the classrooms.

Rescue operations are being coordinated from the school car park, with rescue vehicles and ambulances seen parked outside the main school building this morning.

Earlier, extraordinary pictures showed exhausted troops from the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment trying to catch up on sleep after working tirelessly to help stricken victims across the north of England.

After working non-stop since the floods began on Boxing Day, the soldiers were pictured catching up on some sleep at their makeshift base, after warming up with a cup of tea and mince pie. They desperately tried to grab 40 winks as they awaited their next call-out.

The worst-hit areas will have some respite from rain today but the crisis looks set to continue as more bad weather sweeps in and the Environment Agency (EA) has more than 25 severe flood warnings in place - meaning there is still a danger to life.

The Met Office has also issued yellow-graded weather warnings for rain on Wednesday in North West England, North East England, Yorkshire and Humber, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Amber warnings for rain are in place for parts of Scotland and Cumbria on Wednesday too.

In the Croston area of Lancashire, there are fears that the banks of the River Douglas could collapse.

The Environment Agency has issued three severe flood warnings for the area - meaning a danger to life.

Although today is likely to be drier than recent days, the warnings have been issued as a precautionary measure following water flowing from a breach in the River Douglas defences, north of the railway line and Rufford.

And so the flooding continues: Properties and vehicles remain submerged in murky floodwater in Huntington Road, York, this morning

Heartbreaking: The floodwater was so high outside some properties in York today that it covered the letterbox of the front door

Victim: A local resident returns to his flooded home after fetching necessary supplies on Park Crescent in York city centre this morning

Surveying the damage: A resident looks onto the flooded street below in the Huntington Road area of York after the river burst its banks

Suitable conditions for some: A trio of ducks appeared in their natural habitat as they made their way along the flooded streets of York

Devastating: A garden gate was under water outside one home in York (left) while another had just about managed to keep water at bay

Unbelievable scenes: Abandoned cars remain stranded underwater on Park Crescent in York city centre today as the flooding continues

Not going anywhere: Vehicles are inundated with dirty floodwater as the situation continues in the Huntington Road area of York today

Empty: Homes along Park Crescent in York were evacuated at the height of the flooding and murky waters remained present early today

The Government is to provide £40million funding to help repair and rebuild flood-damaged roads and bridges in Cumbria and Lancashire.

The Department for Transport (DfT) will provide the funding to help communities recover from the effects of the two storms by helping to fund the repairs to key local transport infrastructure.

As yellow warnings for rain on Wednesday are in place for areas of northern England, communities continue to rally together in their clean-up operation.

In Whalley, in the Ribble Valley, the River Calder has now receded after wreaking havoc on businesses and residents on Boxing Day.

The Whalley & District Lions Club was meeting this morning to help those affected by the floods in the Billington area, urging people to give up their time.

Donations of cleaning products such as mops and buckets are being taken as well as blankets, water and sleeping bags.

Another severely affected area in the latest wave of flooding is York, where large swathes of the city remain underwater today after the Foss and Ouse rivers topped their banks.

The Ouse stabilised this morning at 5.7 yards above its normal level, a spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said.

The barrier gate on the Foss was raised after water entered the flood defence's main building.

It was feared that if the electrics stopped working, the Environment Agency would not have been able to pump floodwater out of the town – potentially putting even more lives at risk.

There were also fears the flood barrier could have become stuck in the 'down' position, which would have made it impossible to discharge excess water into the River Ouse.

It means the gates were lifted last night prompting Army personnel and mountain rescue teams to evacuate thousands of people from their flood-hit homes, with up to 3,500 properties now at risk of further flooding.

Engineers are now examining how to restore power to the site.

Troops spent much of today stacking sandbags but the flooding was so bad the council ran out and begged nearby councils for help.

Residents were forced to leave their homes as streets were turned into muddy rivers, with most people taking shelter in emergency rest centres as waters reached record levels.

Still flooded: A street light pokes above floodwater in front of a property next to the river Ouse at Cawood in North Yorkshire this morning

Desperate measures: A row of sandbags keep floodwater at bay next to the bridge on the river Ouse at Cawood in North Yorkshire

Going nowhere: A flooded railway line at Kirkstall, Leeds, as swamped towns and cities continue to struggle against the Christmas floods

Flooded lines: Northern Rail urged passengers not to travel unless their journey was 'absolutely necessary'. Pictured: Rail lines in Leeds

Cancelled: All Southeastern trains between Folkestone and Dover will be off until the end of February after cracks appeared on the line

Damage: A 250-metre section of the sea wall on the Dover to Folkestone railway line had been decimated by the recent bad weather

Dangerous: Commuters are facing a grim start to the new year after Southeastern trains was forced to close a major route for two months due to serious damage to the railway line between Folkestone and Dover from the storms. Major repair work will now need to be carried out

Storm damage: A 300ft stretch of sea wall in Southsea, Hampshire, has started to collapse into the sea following a period of wet weather

Dangerous times: Barriers have been put up near the Pyramid Centre in Southsea, Hampshire, after a section gave away and waves started to crash over the wall. Council bosses inspected the damage today and said around 2,000 tonnes of concrete would be brought in to help

Deep hole: Waves coming over the wall at Southsea have got into the gaps in the concrete, causing cracks and splits in the structure

Sifting through the mud: Two men begin to clear mud and silt from their land outside their property in Baildon, West Yorkshire, today

Still submerged: A white van remains under water in Huntington Road, York, this morning as river levels begin to drop - just not quickly

The flood barrier gate on the River Foss in York was raised after water entered the flood defence's main building. It was feared that if the electrics stopped working, the Environment Agency would not have been able to pump water out of the town – putting more lives at risk

Thousands of homes in northern England were also left without power, with almost 6,000 hoping to be reconnected today.

One of the flooded substations was in Rochdale, which five years ago had its flood defences given a £470,000 upgrade to protect power supplies against a '1-in-200-year' flood.

The floods also affected transport links in the North. Some 30 road closures were in place in York, while 16 roads were shut in Cumbria.

Meanwhile, Northern Rail urged passengers not to travel in Cumbria, East Lancashire and West Yorkshire unless their journey was 'absolutely necessary'.

Many places have seen record river levels over the past 24 hours, including the River Aire in Leeds, and the rivers Calder and Ribble, affecting places such as Whalley, Hebden Bridge and Ribchester.

West Yorkshire Police declared a major incident after responding to what it said was the 'worst flooding in 70 years' in the area.

In Manchester, firefighters have been praised for rescuing around 1,000 people from floods as water levels rose rapidly in less than 24 hours.

Crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service waded waist-deep in freezing water for up to seven hours to rescue pregnant women, elderly people in care homes and children when towns in the area were cut off.

At the height of the Boxing Day floods - which were declared a major incident for Greater Manchester - more than 35 fire engines were out dealing with incidents.

The crews were described as responding 'magnificently' by Fire Authority chairman David Acton as they worked alongside an army of local people who all rallied together to help.

Scenes included one man swimming across his living room in order to try to retrieve his slippers, while Christmas presents could be seen floating from homes.

In the Lower Broughton area of Salford, 47 people had to be rescued from a caravan site affected by rising water, including four from a car stranded in the water.

Mr Acton said: 'Off-duty firefighters spending time at home with their families for Christmas came in to support the effort and relieve tired colleagues, some of whom had been wading through water for eight hours solid.

'We are a highly professional service and we have responded magnificently but we were stretched and I was pleased to see others - including Government - recognise the wonderful job carried out by our crew yesterday.'

Still underwater: A flooded residential street next to the River Foss is pictured today after it burst its banks in York on Boxing Day

Going to have to find a different way! A man on a bicycle turns back from a flooded residential street next to the River Foss in York today

Unprecedented scenes: Two men survey the flooding today and no doubt evaluate the cost of the damage after flooding hit York

Wet: Flooded riverside properties in Kings Street, York, as swamped towns and cities continue to struggle against the Christmas floods

Not going anywhere: Two cars were abandoned at Baildon Cricket Club in north Bradford after the River Aire broke its banks overnight

Storm damage: Flooding in Baildon, near Bradford, West Yorkshire, left a car dealership destroyed after the River Aire broke its banks

Disastrous: Cars at a dealership in Baildon, West Yorkshire, were flung around in the stormy conditions to hit the north west this week

Havoc: The flooding caused chaos at the car dealership in Baildon, West Yorkshire, leaving cars and vans scattered among debris

Damaged: Flooding in Baildon left a car dealership destroyed after the River Aire broke its banks and smashed cars into one another

Hundreds more were rescued after they were marooned as the bridge over the River Irwell was breached.

Moments later the town was rocked by a gas explosion when another bridge gave way, ripping out a mains supply, which then caught light.

County Fire Officer Peter O'Reilly said: 'There were many, many calls from individuals just looking for help as water poured into their homes, damaging electrics and power supplies as well as belongings and personal possessions.

'Crew reported seeing people's Christmas presents and other things floating out of their homes. One man was swimming across his living room trying to retrieve his slippers.

'But there were many, many tales of people rallying together too. We had people bringing 4x4 vehicles, tractors with flatbed trailers and even boats to incidents to help us. We couldn't have done it without them and would like to thank each and every person who came out of their homes to help.'

Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said the situation had brought out 'the best' in people.

He said: 'When you need public services, you really need them and yesterday we really needed everyone in the fire and rescue service.

'There were hundreds and thousands of people who were worried and distressed - be it about their homes or family members or themselves. There's no doubt these situations bring out the best in people and it's people like you who make this world a better place.'

Meanwhile, a flood expert said money would be better spent on modifying homes to withstand flooding rather than on defence schemes.

Laurence Waterhouse, director of civil engineering flood consultancy Pell Frischmann, said flood resilience measures - including concreting floors and replacing materials such as MDF and plasterboard with more robust alternatives - would have a real impact on properties returning to normal.

He said homeowners could also tap into Government funds such as repair and review grants in order to get the help needed to begin the clear-up.

He said: 'At the moment, we have no idea what is causing the flooding. Is it climate change, is it El Nino, who knows?

'All I know is that something is happening and we have to mitigate against it.

'I think the main thing we need to focus on in this country is flood resilience - we need properties in this country which can withstand it.

'We are going to have to live with flooding. It's here to stay. We need to be prepared.'

Tired: With their heads in their hands, these extraordinary pictures show the exhausted troops from the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment who have been working tirelessly across the north of England to help evacuate residents stranded in flood-hit communities

40 winks: Soldiers desperately tried to get their head down for a couple of minutes as they awaited their next call-out in New Earswick, York

Exhausted: The troops from the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment have been working around-the-clock to help rescue residents from their flooded homes. More than 500 Army troops have already been scrambled to help and another 1,000 soldiers remain on standby

Planning: Members of the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment plan their next route as they evacuate residents across the York area

Talks: The Commanding Officer from 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment discuss planning options at the main Police HQ in York

Tea break: Archbishop Holgate's School in York has been open through the night as a rest centre for rescue teams and stranded residents

Pulling together: Mountain rescue teams from as far away as Wales and Cornwall have spent the night in classrooms at Archbishop Holgate's School in York and are enjoying school dinners for breakfast today as they continue their work to help stricken residents

Breakfast: Mountain rescue teams who have been working around-the-clock to help flood victims enjoyed a 'school dinner' breakfast this morning after catching up on sleep at Archbishop Holgate's School in York. There were pastries, bagels and even crumpets on offer

Supplies: A sleeping room has been set up for flood victims and mountain rescue teams at Archbishop Holgate's School in York and food, water and cleaning products have all been donated by local businesses. It comes as the north of England endures another day of flooding

Preparing for the day: A mountain rescuer prepares her equipment today as she faces another day going door-to-door to help flood victims

Awaiting the next mission: Rescue operations are being coordinated from the car park at makeshift rest centre, Archbishop Holgate School

Makeshift control centre: Flood rescue operations are today being coordinated from the car park at Archbishop Holgate's School in York

Makeshift control centre: Flood rescue operations are today being coordinated from the car park at Archbishop Holgate's School in York

On the move: British soldiers walk through an 'at risk' flooded area of York as they assess the nearby river amid fears of further flooding

The Environment Agency (EA) said it was launching an investigation after a decision was made to raise the Foss barrier defence scheme in York, over fears that a failure to act would result in widespread damage to even more homes and businesses.

Mr Waterhouse said the decision to raise the barrier 'was probably the correct one in the circumstances'.

He said: 'I think raising the barrier was the only alternative; otherwise there could have been more widespread flooding or damage to the control room.

'But the question now has to be asked as to what's gone wrong. This barrier has worked well for almost 30 years with no problems.

'What went wrong to cause this situation? That is what needs to be looked at.'

It comes as forecasters warned torrential rain could see more than four-and-a-half inches of rain fall on high ground by Wednesday.

Much of the rainfall will work its way into the rivers because the ground is too saturated to absorb any more.

With river levels already very high in most areas and ground saturated by weeks of rainfall, another deluge could see a repeat of the dramatic Boxing Day scenes.

The latest front of bad weather is likely to start tomorrow night and continue all day Wednesday.

As well as heavy downpours, there is also the likelihood of strong winds. Forecasters expect winds of around 50 or 60mph in many areas and up to 80mph in exposed locations.

A Met Office spokesman said: 'Winds will be quite strong. Currently, there's a wind warning in place for western areas where we could see up to 80mph.'

Cumbria has already recorded its wettest December on record, with the village of Shap in the county's central region deluged by an astonishing 28.6 inches – more than five times the county's average for the month.

Another dawn, another day: The sun rises over a flooded Huntington Road in York as residents face another day of flooding misery

Precautionary measures: Sandbags are piled high along the flood defences of the River Ouse in York city centre earlier this morning

Meanwhile: As floods blighted the north of the country, there was a stunning sunrise over the River Thames in London this morning

A MONTH OF FLOODS: MAJOR FLOODING INCIDENTS WHICH HAVE BLIGHTED THE COUNTRY IN DECEMBER Here are some of the key moments from the flooding which has struck the country in December. December 4: Forecasters predict heavy rain and strong winds as Storm Desmond hits the UK. The Met Office issues weather warnings for north west and north east of England, as well as parts of Scotland, and say up to 200mm of rain could fall over the weekend. December 5: Police in Cumbria declare a 'major incident' as Storm Desmond tears through Britain. Parts of the county are evacuated, while in north London a 90-year-old man dies after reportedly being blown into the side of a bus by strong winds. December 5: More than a month's rain falls in parts of Cumbria. The village of Shap had the most rain, with 178.2mm falling in the 24 hours until 7pm on Saturday night. The average rainfall for Cumbria for the month of December is 146.1mm, the Met Office said. December 6: The Army is drafted in to help with flooding in the aftermath of Storm Desmond. Floods minister and MP for Penrith and the Border Rory Stewart said flooding in his constituency has been 'the worst that anybody's experienced'. December 7: Prime Minister David Cameron visits areas devastated by flooding after chairing a meeting of emergency Cobra committee. He says the floods were a 'horrific thing' and adds the Environment Agency will assess flood barriers to learn lessons. December 9: Donations to a relief fund for Cumbrian communities devastated by flooding pass £500,000 in less than three days and Chancellor George Osborne announces households and businesses affected by recent floods will benefit from a £50 million fund. December 10: Yvette and Simon Holden, from Chorley, Lancashire, get married in Glenridding, despite fears that the wedding may not go ahead after floodwater tore through the idyllic village. December 12: River levels remain high and more than 70 flood warnings are issued as the north of the country is hit with heavy rain for the second weekend in a row. December 18: Insurers say they expect the total bill for Storm Desmond to reach around £520 million. December 25: More than 100 flood alerts and warnings are issued across England and Wales as Storm Eva hits. December 26: More than 20 severe flood warnings - meaning that there is a danger to life - are issued as forecasters said up to 4.7ins (120mm) of rain could fall in some areas already saturated by wave after wave of winter squalls. Hundreds of residents in West Yorkshire and Lancashire are evacuated from their homes and thousands are left without power due to widespread flooding. December 27: The Prime Minister chairs a meeting of Cobra and promises to send more troops to 'do whatever is needed' to help people in large swathes of northern England stricken by floods. North Yorkshire Police advise 400 people in York to evacuate their homes, while 24 severe flood warnings remain in place in the north east. Advertisement

‹ Slide me › Before and after: These incredible photographs show the widespread flooding in the Calder Valley town of Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, (left) on Boxing Day after the River Calder burst its banks compared to the scene yesterday after the floodwaters finally receded (right)

Widespread disruption: Dramatic aerial photographs of York city centre yesterday show the large scale of flooding which has hit Yorkshire, with rising floodwater engulfing properties and vehicles and leading to the evacuation of some 4,000 stranded residents since Boxing Day

The morning after: Following intense downpours on Boxing Day which led to rivers bursting their banks across York, hundreds of homes remain submerged in floodwater (pictured) and residents continue to be evacuated as the city comes to terms with widespread flooding

Rescue missions: Mountain rescue teams could be seen going door-to-door by boat yesterday (pictured centre) as they evacuated homes which were left submerged in floodwater in York. It came after around six-and-a-half inches of rain fell across the Yorkshire region

Quite literally stranded: A flock of sheep were surrounded by floodwater in Cawood, North Yorkshire, after the River Wharfe burst its banks

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