Torrential rain brought chaos to Keighley and South Craven at the weekend.

Properties were flooded, grazing livestock stranded and countless minor roads became impassable.

In some parts of the region more than two inches of rain fell in just 12 hours.

Keighley firefighters rescued around 200 sheep from a flooded field at Thornhill Road in Steeton, close to the Aire Valley trunk road.

Crew members waded into water up to their waists to haul the frightened animals to safety. Around 30 sheep died in the incident.

Sub-officer Eddie Presland says: "We got the call at around 6.40am on Sunday, when the farmer realised the sheep were in difficulty.

"Unfortunately by then the animals had probably been in the water for a while and it was too late to do anything for some of them."

While the crew was dealing with that incident a second appliance was called to rescue 11 sheep trapped in a nearby field, close to Hawkcliffe Corner at Steeton.

And earlier that morning firefighters had attended Lower Redcar Farm, near Keighley Tarn, and a house at Ilkley Road in Riddlesden, to pump out water from flooded cellars.

Drains near Lower Redcar Farm had been unable to cope with the torrents, and water gushed beneath the floors of properties undergoing refurbishment.

Considerable damage was caused to the flooring.

Local retained crews were also in action.

Haworth brigade was called to an incident in Hebden Bridge and Silsden firefighters assisted with tackling floods at Sutton.

Bradford council drainage officers distributed sandbags around the district and a gully-clearing vehicle helped tackle flooded sections of road at Oxenhope, Oakworth and Denholme.

In South Craven severe flooding hit several minor roads.

Police in North Yorkshire say the situation countywide was so serious, the council's highways department ran out of "Road Closed" signs.

The Environment Agency issued an amber flood warning for the River Aire.

This relates to isolated properties, roads and large areas of low-lying land near the river.

And its Floodline - a phone service offering advice and information to the public - was swamped with calls.

One of the worst hit areas was the Calder Valley, especially around Hebden Bridge and Todmorden where hundreds of homes were flooded.

Riverside homes along the Wharfe at Burley, Ilkley, Pool and Otley were also affected.

Power cuts hit more than 1,500 homes in Ilkley and Otley, though the service was restored by breakfast-time.

Out for a duck .. Airedale cricketers find themselves under water. See Page 16

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