Homes were under threat after torrential rain caused Pickering Beck to rise by about 1.2 metres above normal levels on Saturday.

Sandbags were issued to people in the Sinnington and Pickering area from around midnight on Friday and a meeting was held between council officers and emergency services to deal with the incident.

The situation in Pickering improved overnight on Saturday as the rain eased off, and by Sunday the water levels had subsided.

Cllr Ken Kitching and Cllr Brian Baker were in the Memorial Hall on Saturday to give residents advice on the floods and answer questions.

Representatives from Ryedale District Council, North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, North Yorkshire County Council, North Yorkshire Ambulance Service and the Environment Agency set up a base at Ryedale House in Malton.

Residents have now called for better flood defences after the incident brought back memories of the major flooding last June when Pickering was under water.

Topsy Clinch, 91, prepared for the worst as water surrounded her home in Beck Isle, Pickering.

Her home has been hit by flooding five times in the last 10 years, which has cost her thousands of pounds in repairs.

Mrs Clinch, a member of the Pickering Flood Defence Group, said: “The Environment Agency has got to help us with the problem of flooding. We’re sick of it.”

Her neighbour Peter Croot said: “The situation is very disturbing. We should have proper defences.”

Meanwhile, volunteers and members of Pickering Lions lifted out items at Beck Isle Museum and put others on to blocks to prevent them from being damaged.

Chairman of the management committee Roger Dowson said: “Last June the museum was very badly flooded. It went right the way through, costing about £25,000 worth of damage and we lost business. The flooding is going to keep happening unless something is done about it.”

Howard Keal, a spokesman for Pickering Flood Defence Group, said: “Everything has settled down now but it was a very close shave – we’ve literally weathered the storm.

“This time we’ve escaped, but it does bring up how vulnerable Pickering is. If the rain had continued for another 24 hours we would have had the same problems as last year. We can’t continue to live on a knife edge and just hope we’ll get away with it.

“Pickering has had seven major floods in nine years – flooding will remain a problem until we get some proper defences.”