:00:00. > :00:11.Hundreds of homes are evacuated as torrential rain causes severe
:00:12. > :00:17.In Greater Manchester a 200-year-old pub is swept away
:00:18. > :00:23.In Lancashire dozens of people are rescued as at least 600
:00:24. > :00:28.The extraordinary levels that we have seen,
:00:29. > :00:29.the record-breaking river levels across Lancashire,
:00:30. > :00:34.have overwhelmed the temporary defences.
:00:35. > :00:39.Some towns are completely cut off and thousands of homes
:00:40. > :00:44.And also tonight: Millions of bargain hunters head to the high
:00:45. > :01:02.street amid predictions of record Boxing Day sales.
:01:03. > :01:06.Hundreds of homes have have been evacuated and thousands
:01:07. > :01:08.are without power tonight after widespread flooding
:01:09. > :01:14.There are more than 400 flood warnings and alerts in force
:01:15. > :01:20.But Lancashire and Yorkshire have been hardest hit.
:01:21. > :01:23.31 severe warnings, meaning there's a danger to life,
:01:24. > :01:27.are currently in place, including five in Leeds city centre
:01:28. > :01:36.Some of the worst flooding is in Ribchester and Whalley.
:01:37. > :01:39.Our correspondent Judith Moritz is in Ribchester.
:01:40. > :01:41.This is what happens when the rain just won't stop.
:01:42. > :01:45.Across the North of England, towns and villages lie submerged.
:01:46. > :01:53.At this pub in Ribchester, they served
:01:54. > :01:57.Today there was no chance of a Boxing Day meal.
:01:58. > :02:02.As the water came in, the staff tried to bail it out.
:02:03. > :02:04.The water levels rising as we are standing here now,
:02:05. > :02:08.It is up to about two feet at the moment.
:02:09. > :02:17.We just have to wait for the level to drop.
:02:18. > :02:20.These flood defences were put in by the Army
:02:21. > :02:21.yesterday, but they were simply overwhelmed.
:02:22. > :02:24.Ribchester was cut off this morning, and with the water
:02:25. > :02:28.rising, pumps and sandbags were brought in to keep it at bay.
:02:29. > :02:30.The extraordinary levels that we have
:02:31. > :02:33.seen, record breaking river levels now across Lancashire,
:02:34. > :02:35.has just overwhelmed even the temporary defences.
:02:36. > :02:38.So we always try - every house that we can keep dry
:02:39. > :02:40.is important, and we will always try and do that.
:02:41. > :02:43.But the levels that we have seen today right across the North
:02:44. > :02:53.of England, are meaning that we are seeing significant flooding still.
:02:54. > :02:59.The floodwaters surged straight into an electricity substation. They are
:03:00. > :03:05.now trying to dam it up with sandbags before pumping it out. But
:03:06. > :03:07.with the rain continuing to fall and conditions really terrible, the
:03:08. > :03:08.weather is very much against them. Fire crews went out in boats to help
:03:09. > :03:13.rescue those who were cut off. In nearby Whalley, when the downpour
:03:14. > :03:16.became a flood, people were forced Seven o'clock this
:03:17. > :03:19.morning, the water started coming up, and over
:03:20. > :03:21.the past few hours, We started trying to mop it
:03:22. > :03:26.up, which we soon... Quite a good job for about
:03:27. > :03:29.an hour, and then it just It is probably about two
:03:30. > :03:34.feet in our house now. In Greater Manchester,
:03:35. > :03:36.the power of the storm is best shown by
:03:37. > :03:38.what has happened The former pub sits on a bridge
:03:39. > :03:44.in Summerseat in Bury. As the rain hammered down
:03:45. > :03:46.and the river raged, it collapsed,
:03:47. > :03:53.crumbling into the water. In Rochdale, the River Roch surged
:03:54. > :03:56.through the town centre, flooding dozens
:03:57. > :03:59.of businesses and cutting off power In west Yorkshire,
:04:00. > :04:05.Sowerby Bridge is amongst With shops swamped and the river
:04:06. > :04:18.running like whitewater rapids. Cars which were parked
:04:19. > :04:21.in the dry are now roof deep. In Manchester city centre,
:04:22. > :04:23.an unusual sight - crashing past balconies
:04:24. > :04:46.and beer gardens. Those flooded say it has never been
:04:47. > :04:51.so bad. Those still at risk pray that the threat passes soon.
:04:52. > :04:59.Judith is in Ribchester, what is the situation tonight? As fast as the
:05:00. > :05:04.water rose, it has dropped off again quite remarkably over the course of
:05:05. > :05:08.an hour or so. It has gone right down again, but the threat of
:05:09. > :05:12.flooding has not completely disappeared. The sandbags are still
:05:13. > :05:18.out and there is some concern about the amount of water you yet to run
:05:19. > :05:23.off the surrounding hills. Elsewhere in the North West there are still
:05:24. > :05:28.5500 properties in Rochdale without power and they will stay off
:05:29. > :05:33.throughout the night. There are some residents along some part of the
:05:34. > :05:38.River Irwell who have been told to evacuate their homes. A note of
:05:39. > :05:43.warning from the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, two people who were
:05:44. > :05:48.told to evacuate, if you try to do that, you must do it, because
:05:49. > :05:52.although you may want to stay in your property, it puts your life at
:05:53. > :05:54.although you may want to stay in risk, but also the lives of the
:05:55. > :06:02.workers who will have to go in and get you.
:06:03. > :06:15.This is extraordinary. Everywhere I have been in Yorkshire today,
:06:16. > :06:19.whether people have lived there for 15 or 50 years, they have said the
:06:20. > :06:26.same thing. In their lifetime they have never seen anything like this.
:06:27. > :06:30.You can see some riverside properties here at the River Aire
:06:31. > :06:32.which have already been flooded. The river is due to peak at
:06:33. > :06:38.which have already been flooded. The tonight. It is further down the
:06:39. > :06:43.river systems where there is real concern. 3500 homes in properties in
:06:44. > :06:48.York and people in them have been told to move their things up to the
:06:49. > :06:53.first floor because of the severe risk of flooding. Six severe flood
:06:54. > :06:57.warnings in place for your city Centre this evening. It is a very
:06:58. > :07:02.serious situation developing in North Yorkshire in many towns and
:07:03. > :07:06.villages. The river levels just keep going and more rain will bring them
:07:07. > :07:11.up again. It will cause more problems across this region in the
:07:12. > :07:11.next few days. Thank you both very much.
:07:12. > :07:16.You can keep up to date with the latest on the flooding
:07:17. > :07:18.throughout the night on the BBC News Channel.
:07:19. > :07:20.Millions of people have descended on the high street
:07:21. > :07:23.for the Boxing Day sales with some queueing from early this morning.
:07:24. > :07:25.Despite some retailers starting online discounts on Christmas Eve,
:07:26. > :07:27.there are predictions of record trading, with one London department
:07:28. > :07:32.store taking ?2 million in its opening hour.
:07:33. > :07:35.Our business correspondent Joe Lynam has more.
:07:36. > :07:39.The shutters go up and the shoppers pile in.
:07:40. > :07:42.It's been happening all over the UK today,
:07:43. > :07:52.who have been enjoying discounts of up to 50% for a month.
:07:53. > :07:55.I got a couple of handbags and jumpers.
:07:56. > :08:00.Got some flat shoes, some new heels, perfume.
:08:01. > :08:04.About 70% off some lines, so it was getting
:08:05. > :08:11.Since the financial crisis, consumer sentiment
:08:12. > :08:14.can be described as up and down over the last seven or eight years
:08:15. > :08:18.as costs went up and income stayed stagnant.
:08:19. > :08:23.Incomes are rising, and the cost of filling up your car
:08:24. > :08:30.and heating your home has gone down,
:08:31. > :08:34.And in places like this, they are spending it.
:08:35. > :08:36.In the days immediately after Christmas, an estimated
:08:37. > :08:39.?3.7 billion will be spent in the shops and
:08:40. > :08:47.Today an estimated ?856 million could be spent online alone.
:08:48. > :08:51.That is 22% more than it was last year.
:08:52. > :08:56.traditional retailers have had to raise their game.
:08:57. > :08:59.We have broadened the whole range of what we do to try
:09:00. > :09:04.Of course, the shops have got all their merchandise on display.
:09:05. > :09:06.Sometimes, and I found this yesterday looking online,
:09:07. > :09:10.it's difficult to buy stuff and see what is available.
:09:11. > :09:12.The more sedentary online shopper may be on the ascent,
:09:13. > :09:14.but for some consumers, physically grabbing your
:09:15. > :09:24.Boxing Day has been a bumper day for the Premier League.
:09:25. > :09:29.With all the sport here's Karthi Gnanasegaram.
:09:30. > :09:31.It doesn't happen very often but all 20 Premier League teams
:09:32. > :09:36.Match Of The Day follows soon on BBC One so please pop out
:09:37. > :09:40.of the room if you don't want to know the results.
:09:41. > :09:43.The early game saw Manchester United defeated for a fourth match
:09:44. > :09:48.The 2-0 loss to Stoke City adds to the pressure
:09:49. > :09:53.After the game van Gaal refused to confirm whether he had been given
:09:54. > :09:58.any assurances from the club about his future.
:09:59. > :10:01.Leaders Leicester City lost for only the second time
:10:02. > :10:08.Christian Benteke scored the only goal.
:10:09. > :10:10.The Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri admitted
:10:11. > :10:14.Leicester remain top of the table by two points though.
:10:15. > :10:19.Arsenal, who could have overtaken them, were defeated 3-0
:10:20. > :10:28.but their captain, Vincent Kompany, injured his calf again.
:10:29. > :10:33.consolidated their hold on fourth place with a 3-0 win over Norwich.
:10:34. > :10:36.Heavy rain meant two of today's Scottish Premiership
:10:37. > :10:41.Aberdeen's 2-2 draw with Inverness Calendonian Thistle
:10:42. > :10:44.takes them level on points at the top of the table with Celtic,
:10:45. > :10:48.while there were wins for Kilmarnock and Ross County.
:10:49. > :10:51.Cricket, and half centuries from James Taylor and Nick Compton
:10:52. > :10:53.helped rescue England on the opening day of the first Test
:10:54. > :10:59.Taylor and Compton led the fightback after a disappointing start
:11:00. > :11:01.from Captain Alastair Cook and debutant Alex Hales.
:11:02. > :11:04.England closed a rain affected day on 179 for 4,
:11:05. > :11:19.England had saved the best until last in 2015, Alastair Cook's test
:11:20. > :11:29.team in South Africa, the world's top ranked nation. It is an edge.
:11:30. > :11:33.But their best bowler return to fitness. Dale Steen got rid of
:11:34. > :11:38.Alastair Cook for a duck. The Durban morning had everything, lightning,
:11:39. > :11:46.rain and when playing resumed, Hales. Dale Stein's wild
:11:47. > :11:49.interpretation of Boxing Day. But the man who scored more runs for
:11:50. > :11:56.England than anyone else this year is adapting to Durban. That was 64
:11:57. > :12:04.Joe Root. South Africa gave their young spin bowler ago. He was first
:12:05. > :12:10.ball. Joe Root LBW for 24. Still standing tall was a man born in
:12:11. > :12:15.Durban. Nick Compton was recalled to the England batting line-up to add
:12:16. > :12:21.some determination. He fought for his runs. Fierce tenacity from James
:12:22. > :12:27.Taylor, rebuilding his test career. 100 partnership with Nick Compton.
:12:28. > :12:31.All well until Nick Stein -- Dale Steen recovered his form. He has the
:12:32. > :12:36.He has the night to recover from his celebrations.
:12:37. > :12:39.The King George the Sixth Chase at Kempton was won by Cue Card,
:12:40. > :12:43.Cue Card's photo finish success puts him in line for a ?1 million
:12:44. > :12:47.He needs a victory at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March
:12:48. > :12:51.And Lizzie Kelly won the Kauto Star Novice Chase on Tea
:12:52. > :12:55.for Two to become the first Female jockey to win an elite level jumps
:12:56. > :13:03.And finally, a British theatre group is trying to help some
:13:04. > :13:05.of the thousands of migrants stranded in Calais.
:13:06. > :13:08.The migrants and refugees are living in a squalid camp known
:13:09. > :13:10.as "The Jungle", hoping to make it to Britain.
:13:11. > :13:13.But with little for them to do, charities and other groups have set
:13:14. > :13:18.Our Arts Editor, Will Gompertz reports.
:13:19. > :13:21.This is the so-called "Jungle" in Calais, a tented slum containing
:13:22. > :13:24.around 6,000 migrants from East Africa, the Middle East
:13:25. > :13:29.The vast majority are young men, although there are an increasing
:13:30. > :13:34.The politics of the situation are as complex as this
:13:35. > :13:39.We are currently coming from Afghan square...
:13:40. > :13:42.These two young playwrights from Britain came to write
:13:43. > :13:46.about the place, but ended up creating a makeshift theatre.
:13:47. > :13:49.Whatever the rights and wrongs of the reasons that people have
:13:50. > :13:51.found themselves in the Jungle, they do not necessarily
:13:52. > :14:00.It follows hot on the heels of food and shelter.
:14:01. > :14:03.You are sitting in your little home in your little wooden hut
:14:04. > :14:06.and you are eating a meal provided by the state,
:14:07. > :14:10.What is going on in your brain in that situation?
:14:11. > :14:12.We are here for the people who need stimulus.
:14:13. > :14:15.These are smart people and they are in an environment
:14:16. > :14:17.that is not providing any excitement, any nourishment
:14:18. > :14:25.Each week they put on a variety show where members of the camp's
:14:26. > :14:30.It is popular, but does the theatre compound or maybe even
:14:31. > :14:36.It is a humanitarian crisis and without the associations
:14:37. > :14:40.working here the situation would be completely dire.
:14:41. > :14:43.I understand the argument, but I think the need is so great
:14:44. > :14:48.Although most of the participants were happy to talk, few wanted
:14:49. > :14:52.to speak on camera as they feared being identified could jeopardise
:14:53. > :15:01.If there wasn't these things in the jungle,
:15:02. > :15:06.I don't know what would happen to me, for my mind.
:15:07. > :15:09.I like also to perform something and I want to perform everything.
:15:10. > :15:17.I want to perform everything, what people want and need.
:15:18. > :15:21.The theatre closes around 9pm because of this.
:15:22. > :15:31.The migrants leave the camp en masse to head to the port and risk
:15:32. > :15:35.A few make it, most fail and return to the jungle to sleep and try
:15:36. > :16:00.That's it from us. From all of us, goodnight.
:16:01. > :16:10.Good evening. The good news is that the rain is easing over the affected
:16:11. > :16:14.parts of northern England and Wales. But the full effect
:16:15. > :16:16.parts of northern England and Wales. is get to be realised and there are