THOUSANDS of homes were last night still without power as the effect of Sunday's freak storms continued to wreak havoc across the region.

Insurers last night warned the cost of the storm damage could run into tens of millions of pounds, and the aftermath could take months to repair.

A month's worth of rain - 70 millimetres - fell in three hours, bringing chaos to the North-East and North Yorkshire on Sunday. Several people had to be rescued from the rising waters by emergency services.

Witnesses described how they were confronted with a 5ft wall of water washing through the streets, and several frightened people caught up in the storm had to be airlifted to safety after taking shelter in trees, on car roofs and on top of gates.

Police last night confirmed there had been no bodies discovered, and no one was reported as missing.

Police, fire and ambulance crews, mountain search and rescue teams and two RAF helicopters were involved in the rescue effort, and recorded huge numbers of emergency calls.

Villages were cut off after bridges and roads were washed away, and homes were evacuated amidst the rising waters. Several routes across the region, including parts of the A167 near Helmsley, remained closed last night, and many villages could only be accessed on foot.

Homes across the region had their power cut when lines were hit.

Energy companies NEDL and YEDL worked through the night to ensure more than 30,000 homes regained electricity yesterday.

Water levels peaked at 1.37am yesterday, and forecasters predict no more rain in the coming days.

Among the worst-hit places was Helmsley, in North Yorkshire, which was declared a no-go area after police reported "perilous" conditions.

Houses were evacuated after the River Rye burst its banks at about 11.15pm on Sunday, and many residents took shelter in the town hall.

The nearby villages of Hawnby, Nunnington, Thirlby and Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe also suffered flooding, and many residents were evacuated from their homes.

North Yorkshire Police last night said 32 homes in the area were flooded in the "unexpected" storms.

The Farmyard Party motorbike rally at Duncombe Park, near Helmsley - attended by 8,000 enthusiasts - ended with several bikers being airlifted to safety after the site was engulfed by the raging river.

Flood warnings were still in place last night on Cod Beck, near Thirsk, and on the River Rye at Butterwick Bridge, eight miles east of Helmsley.

Paul Denning, rescue controller for Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team, said the conditions were treacherous for his 16-strong team.

"We were called into Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe after a woman was reported as trapped in a flooded building, and a man was in the river who had been trying to rescue her from the house," he said.

"Helmsley was particularly badly affected, and there was a danger the bridge was on the verge of collapse. It proved difficult to find routes in."

The A167 between Newton Aycliffe and Chester-le-Street was passable with care on Sunday night, and several vehicles were stranded.

Buildings in Chester-le-Street town centre were flooded, including Horner's pub in Front Street, which closed on Sunday night but reopened yesterday.

After the deluge - Pages 2 and 3