26/12/2015 BBC Weekend News

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes

and thousands are without power tonight after widespread flooding

In total more than 350 flood warnings and alerts are currently

in force across England, Scotland and Wales.

But it's parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire that have

22 severe warnings, meaning there's a danger to life,

are in place there, including five in Leeds city centre.

In Lancashire it's thought every river is now at record levels.

Some of the worst flooding is in Ribchester and Whalley

with more heavy rain to come in the next few hours.

Our correspondent Judith Moritz is in Ribchester.

It had been predicted that this latest bout of flooding may hit

Cumbria. In the event, it has been Lancashire, west Yorkshire, and the

cities of Greater Manchester and Leeds, which seem to have been at

greatest risk and most badly affected. Tonight there are flood

warnings in place and the rain continues to fall. In Ribchester,

they've spent all day trying to keep the water here at bay.

This is what happens when the rain just won't stop.

Across the north of England, towns and villages lie

At this pub in Ribchester, they served

Today there was no chance of a Boxing Day meal.

As the water came in, the staff tried to bail it out.

The water levels are rising as we stand here now so it's

quite high, up to about two foot at the moment.

You cannot do anything in there today.

We are just waiting for the level to drop.

These flood defences were put in by the Army yesterday

Ribchester was cut off this morning, and with

the water rising, pumps and sandbags were brought in to keep it at bay.

The extraordinary levels we've seen, the record-breaking river levels now

across Lancashire has just overwhelmed even the temporary

Every house we can keep dry is important

and we will always try to do that but the levels we have seen today

right across the north of England are meaning we are seeing

Fire crews went out in boats to help rescue those who were cut off.

At seven o'clock this morning the water

started coming up and over the past few hours it has just come up and up

We were doing quite a good job for an

It has come up quite quickly, it's probably about two feet

In Greater Manchester the power of the storm is best shown by what's

happened to this 200-year-old building, the former pub sits

As the rain came down and the river raged,

it collapsed, crumbling into the water.

In Rochdale, this river surged through the town centre, flooding

dozens of businesses and cutting off power to thousands of homes. In West

Yorkshire, Sowerby Bridge is among several times to have been flooded.

Cars are now roofed deep. In Manchester city centre an unusual

sight, this river racing at speed, crashing past balconies and beer

gardens. The rain has continued all day, and as it falls, the anxiety

levels are rising as fast as the water. Those in the middle of all of

this feel as though there is no end in sight.

We will get more from Judith in a moment, but first to fill in Sowerby

Bridge. Extraordinary pictures, what's the picture tonight? This

carries a pipeline behind me, and within that steelwork you can see

all sorts of debris which has been caught up in it, drawn down by the

sheer weight and force of the water. There is plenty more to come down

tonight, we are expecting another peak at around midnight tonight.

Further upstream in the centre of town, the boss has become stranded

blocking the 858 to Lancashire. Downstream, as Judith mentioned,

around the Royal armouries in number of properties are underwater there

due to the river air bursting its banks. There's people all along the

Calder Valley, sandbagging and preparing tonight, they will be

hoping for the rain not to continue, and for the river levels to go down,

but I think it is a waiting game. They are watching and waiting but

hoping simply for the best. Judith, towns been cut off,

fire service having to rescue people, and there's more

rain to come tonight? It doesn't sound like the worst is

over? Not at all, and as we speak it is coming down continually here and

forcefully. They are still pumping out. They say they expect the rain

to peak at around midnight tonight, just as in Sowerby Bridge. Tomorrow

they think will be drier but don't underestimate the effects of a

knock-on water, which will come down from the hills, then going forward

is concerned there could be more rain further into the week. Tonight

I should add as well we have had a warning from the Fire and Rescue

Service to people who are told to evacuate their homes. They say, if

you are told to get out, get out, because if we have got to come back

to get you you are not only putting your own lives at risk but also the

lives of the rescue workers. Thank you.

Millions of people have hit the shops for the Boxing Day sales,

with some queuing from early this morning.

Despite some retailers starting online discounts on Christmas Eve

there's predictions of record trading, with one London department

store taking ?2 million in its opening hour.

Our business correspondent Joe Lynam has more.

The shoppers go up and the shoppers pile in. It's been happening all

over the UK today, bargain hunters on the prowl. It's been a Christmas

to remember for consumers who have been enjoying discounts of up to 50%

for a month. I got a couple of handbags and a couple of jumpers,

but nothing I needed. We've got some shoes, perfume, so yeah. It's crazy

in there, up to 70% off on some lines so it's getting violent at

times. Sentiment could be described as open down over the last seven or

eight years, as costs went up and incomes stage stagnant but that's

all changed now. Income is rising and the cost of filling your car and

heating your home has gone down, and as a result the consumer has more

money to spend. In places like this they are spending it. In the days

immediately after Christmas, an estimated ?3.7 billion will be spent

in the shops and online, up by 6% last year. Today an estimated ?856

million could be spent on mine alone, 22% more than it was last

year. The surge in online via -- buying means traditional retailers

have had to raise their game. The shops have got all of their

merchandise on display. Sometimes, and I found this yesterday looking

online, it is difficult to see what's available. The more sedentary

online shopper may be on the descent, but for physical shoppers

grabbing your bargain just cannot be beaten.

Football now and Premier League leaders Leicester City were beaten

1-0 by Liverpool while Manchester City and Tottenham both

won their matches to close the gap at the top.

Manchester United's manager, Louis Van Gaal, is under even more

pressure after their fourth defeat in a row, this time to Stoke City.

What must it be to be Louis van Gaal right now?

Having walked out of a press conference in the week,

he found his face on the back of tabloids and the front of turkeys.

His authority is questioned, though he continues to use it,

The problem with was with those he sent out there.

Memphis Depay lost his bearings for a second, that's all it

A trip to the Potteries isn't what you need when feeling fragile,

Stoke have the players to take the game beyond you

Van Gaal sent his captain on for the second half but any

United flickers were snuffed out by the fingers of Jack Butland.

After four losses in a row, Van Gaal probably didn't

We have lost today so there's a new situation, but I feel

the support of my players and I feel the support of my board.

The strength and depth of that support is about to

We'll be back with all the latest at 10pm.

Now on BBC One its time for the news where you are.