26/12/2015 BBC Weekend News

Hundreds of homes are evacuated as torrential rain causes severe

In Greater Manchester a 200-year-old pub is swept away

In Lancashire dozens of people are rescued as at least 600

The extraordinary levels that we have seen,

the record-breaking river levels across Lancashire,

have overwhelmed the temporary defences.

Some towns are completely cut off and thousands of homes

And also tonight: Millions of bargain hunters head to the high

street amid predictions of record Boxing Day sales.

Hundreds of homes have have been evacuated and thousands

are without power tonight after widespread flooding

There are more than 400 flood warnings and alerts in force

But Lancashire and Yorkshire have been hardest hit.

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

are currently in place, including five in Leeds city centre

Some of the worst flooding is in Ribchester and Whalley.

Our correspondent Judith Moritz is in Ribchester.

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

Across the North of England, towns and villages lie submerged.

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 rising as we are standing here now,

It is up to about two feet at the moment.

We just have to wait for the level to drop.

These flood defences were put in by the Army

yesterday, but they were simply overwhelmed.

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 that we have

seen, record breaking river levels now across Lancashire,

has just overwhelmed even the temporary defences.

So we always try - every house that we can keep dry

is important, and we will always try and do that.

But the levels that we have seen today right across the North

of England, are meaning that we are seeing significant flooding still.

The floodwaters surged straight into an electricity substation. They are

now trying to dam it up with sandbags before pumping it out. But

with the rain continuing to fall and conditions really terrible, the

weather is very much against them. Fire crews went out in boats to help

rescue those who were cut off. In nearby Whalley, when the downpour

became a flood, people were forced Seven o'clock this

morning, the water started coming up, and over

the past few hours, We started trying to mop it

up, which we soon... Quite a good job for about

an hour, and then it just It is probably about two

feet in our house now. In Greater Manchester,

the power of the storm is best shown by

what has happened The former pub sits on a bridge

in Summerseat in Bury. As the rain hammered down

and the river raged, it collapsed,

crumbling into the water. In Rochdale, the River Roch surged

through the town centre, flooding dozens

of businesses and cutting off power In west Yorkshire,

Sowerby Bridge is amongst With shops swamped and the river

running like whitewater rapids. Cars which were parked

in the dry are now roof deep. In Manchester city centre,

an unusual sight - crashing past balconies

and beer gardens. Those flooded say it has never been

so bad. Those still at risk pray that the threat passes soon.

Judith is in Ribchester, what is the situation tonight? As fast as the

water rose, it has dropped off again quite remarkably over the course of

an hour or so. It has gone right down again, but the threat of

flooding has not completely disappeared. The sandbags are still

out and there is some concern about the amount of water you yet to run

off the surrounding hills. Elsewhere in the North West there are still

5500 properties in Rochdale without power and they will stay off

throughout the night. There are some residents along some part of the

River Irwell who have been told to evacuate their homes. A note of

warning from the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, two people who were

told to evacuate, if you try to do that, you must do it, because

although you may want to stay in your property, it puts your life at

although you may want to stay in risk, but also the lives of the

workers who will have to go in and get you.

This is extraordinary. Everywhere I have been in Yorkshire today,

whether people have lived there for 15 or 50 years, they have said the

same thing. In their lifetime they have never seen anything like this.

You can see some riverside properties here at the River Aire

which have already been flooded. The river is due to peak at

which have already been flooded. The tonight. It is further down the

river systems where there is real concern. 3500 homes in properties in

York and people in them have been told to move their things up to the

first floor because of the severe risk of flooding. Six severe flood

warnings in place for your city Centre this evening. It is a very

serious situation developing in North Yorkshire in many towns and

villages. The river levels just keep going and more rain will bring them

up again. It will cause more problems across this region in the

next few days. Thank you both very much.

You can keep up to date with the latest on the flooding

throughout the night on the BBC News Channel.

Millions of people have descended on the high street

for the Boxing Day sales with some queueing from early this morning.

Despite some retailers starting online discounts on Christmas Eve,

there are predictions of record trading, with one London department

store taking ?2 million in its opening hour.

Our business correspondent Joe Lynam has more.

The shutters go up and the shoppers pile in.

It's been happening all over the UK today,

who have been enjoying discounts of up to 50% for a month.

I got a couple of handbags and jumpers.

Got some flat shoes, some new heels, perfume.

About 70% off some lines, so it was getting

Since the financial crisis, consumer sentiment

can be described as up and down over the last seven or eight years

as costs went up and income stayed stagnant.

Incomes are rising, and the cost of filling up your car

and heating your home has gone down,

And 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

Today an estimated ?856 million could be spent online alone.

That is 22% more than it was last year.

traditional retailers have had to raise their game.

We have broadened the whole range of what we do to try

Of course, the shops have got all their merchandise on display.

Sometimes, and I found this yesterday looking online,

it's difficult to buy stuff and see what is available.

The more sedentary online shopper may be on the ascent,

but for some consumers, physically grabbing your

Boxing Day has been a bumper day for the Premier League.

With all the sport here's Karthi Gnanasegaram.

It doesn't happen very often but all 20 Premier League teams

Match Of The Day follows soon on BBC One so please pop out

of the room if you don't want to know the results.

The early game saw Manchester United defeated for a fourth match

The 2-0 loss to Stoke City adds to the pressure

After the game van Gaal refused to confirm whether he had been given

any assurances from the club about his future.

Leaders Leicester City lost for only the second time

Christian Benteke scored the only goal.

The Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri admitted

Leicester remain top of the table by two points though.

Arsenal, who could have overtaken them, were defeated 3-0

but their captain, Vincent Kompany, injured his calf again.

consolidated their hold on fourth place with a 3-0 win over Norwich.

Heavy rain meant two of today's Scottish Premiership

Aberdeen's 2-2 draw with Inverness Calendonian Thistle

takes them level on points at the top of the table with Celtic,

while there were wins for Kilmarnock and Ross County.

Cricket, and half centuries from James Taylor and Nick Compton

helped rescue England on the opening day of the first Test

Taylor and Compton led the fightback after a disappointing start

from Captain Alastair Cook and debutant Alex Hales.

England closed a rain affected day on 179 for 4,

England had saved the best until last in 2015, Alastair Cook's test

team in South Africa, the world's top ranked nation. It is an edge.

But their best bowler return to fitness. Dale Steen got rid of

Alastair Cook for a duck. The Durban morning had everything, lightning,

rain and when playing resumed, Hales. Dale Stein's wild

interpretation of Boxing Day. But the man who scored more runs for

England than anyone else this year is adapting to Durban. That was 64

Joe Root. South Africa gave their young spin bowler ago. He was first

ball. Joe Root LBW for 24. Still standing tall was a man born in

Durban. Nick Compton was recalled to the England batting line-up to add

some determination. He fought for his runs. Fierce tenacity from James

Taylor, rebuilding his test career. 100 partnership with Nick Compton.

All well until Nick Stein -- Dale Steen recovered his form. He has the

He has the night to recover from his celebrations.

The King George the Sixth Chase at Kempton was won by Cue Card,

Cue Card's photo finish success puts him in line for a ?1 million

He needs a victory at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March

And Lizzie Kelly won the Kauto Star Novice Chase on Tea

for Two to become the first Female jockey to win an elite level jumps

And finally, a British theatre group is trying to help some

of the thousands of migrants stranded in Calais.

The migrants and refugees are living in a squalid camp known

as "The Jungle", hoping to make it to Britain.

But with little for them to do, charities and other groups have set

Our Arts Editor, Will Gompertz reports.

This is the so-called "Jungle" in Calais, a tented slum containing

around 6,000 migrants from East Africa, the Middle East

The vast majority are young men, although there are an increasing

The politics of the situation are as complex as this

We are currently coming from Afghan square...

These two young playwrights from Britain came to write

about the place, but ended up creating a makeshift theatre.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the reasons that people have

found themselves in the Jungle, they do not necessarily

It follows hot on the heels of food and shelter.

You are sitting in your little home in your little wooden hut

and you are eating a meal provided by the state,

What is going on in your brain in that situation?

We are here for the people who need stimulus.

These are smart people and they are in an environment

that is not providing any excitement, any nourishment

Each week they put on a variety show where members of the camp's

It is popular, but does the theatre compound or maybe even

It is a humanitarian crisis and without the associations

working here the situation would be completely dire.

I understand the argument, but I think the need is so great

Although most of the participants were happy to talk, few wanted

to speak on camera as they feared being identified could jeopardise

If there wasn't these things in the jungle,

I don't know what would happen to me, for my mind.

I like also to perform something and I want to perform everything.

I want to perform everything, what people want and need.

The theatre closes around 9pm because of this.

The migrants leave the camp en masse to head to the port and risk

A few make it, most fail and return to the jungle to sleep and try

That's it from us. From all of us, goodnight.

Good evening. The good news is that the rain is easing over the affected

parts of northern England and Wales. But the full effect

parts of northern England and Wales. is get to be realised and there are