TORRENTIAL downpours caused disruption across the region on Saturday, with one couple flooded for the third time in six months.

The fire brigade and Durham County Council spent hours pumping away rising flood waters outside Brian and Julie Pike’s home in Fishburn, near Sedgefield, after heavy rain caused the drains to overflow.

And, as the dirty water began to seep through the front door and into the hall, the couple, who were flooded twice last December, feared the nightmare was about to begin all over again.

The damage from the previous floods, which saw water rush into the hall, kitchen and living room, was estimated at £50,000.

Since then, the couple’s insurance has gone up by 40 per cent and their excess has also increased.

On this occasion, the water was contained within the hall but Mr Pike, 56, fears they will not be so lucky next time.

Last December, Mark Readman, Durham County Council’s highway manager, said the authority planned to redesign the surface of Harap Road and work was carried out earlier this year.

However, Mr Pike, a builder, believes more should be done and is calling on the council to install new imperforated drainage pipes.

“All of the work they have done was for nothing,” he said. “It’s ridiculous. The drains are still flooding.”

Elsewhere in the region, heavy rain lead to road closures, hazardous driving conditions and rivers bursting their banks.

In Durham City, the Environment Agency issued a flood warning for properties along the River Wear but this was downgraded in the early hours of this morning (Sunday, May 19) when water levels began to fall.

Flood alerts were issued for the lower reaches of the Wear from Escomb to Chester-le-Street and the River Tees from Middleton St George to the Tees Barrage in Stockton.

In Witton-le-Wear, near Bishop Auckland, the cricket pavilion was completely cut off by water when the Wear burst its banks.

Groundsman Jeff Bannister said it had happened several times over the last few years resulting in lengthy clean up operations.

“The cricket club has always been on a flood plain but we seem to get much more rain these days,” he said.

“It is just mother nature. If they tried to solve the problem here it would probably make it worse for someone else.”

In Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, fire fighters pumped away flood water caused by a blocked drain in the Overbrook area.

Several homes in Race Terrace were flooded. A fire engine and crew from Stokesley spent two hours using a small pump to get rid of the water from the affected properties.