AN estimated two inches of rain fell in parts of the region yesterday causing floods and major rail disruption.

A lightning bolt struck signalling equipment serving the East Coast mainline at Darlington causing delays of up to two hours.

The Environment Agency issued flood watches across North Yorkshire and the North-East last night amid fears that the freak downpour would lead to localised problems.

Major cloudbursts left householders mopping out in several North Yorkshire villages last night.

The Leeming area was particularly hard-hit, with about two inches of rainfall in less than three hours.

A North Yorkshire Fire Brigade spokeswoman said elderly people had to be evacuated from sheltered accommodation to escape the rising water, while a shop was also flooded.

The villages of Masham, Little Fencote and Kirkby Fleetham also suffered flooding.

And with the Met Office warning that further rain is predicted for today, the misery is expected to continue.

A spokesman for Railtrack said that no one was injured in the lightening strike.

But the electronic system governing train movements was knocked out and workers had to direct services by hand.

He said: 'The lightning struck signalling equipment at Darlington just after 3pm and the signalling was fully restored by 6.25pm."