BUSINESSES in a town centre are counting the cost of a flash flood that struck yesterday afternoon.

Shops and pubs in Front Street, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, spent last night cleaning up after heavy rainfall flooded the town centre's main drains.

Fire engines from nearby High Handenhold pumped hundreds of gallons of flood water out of the Market Tavern's cellar, after staff had spent much of the afternoon sweeping the advancing water away from the bar.

Three shops in the town's main street also called for assistance from the fire service, but by the time firefighters arrived to help, the water had subsided.

Assistant divisional fire officer Phil Ward said shops and businesses were only temporarily disrupted by the surprise deluge.

He said: "Only the Market Tavern was really disrupted by it. There was about two feet of water in the cellar which we pumped out.

"Further up the street, businesses that had reported flooding were OK by the time we got there, because the flood went as quickly as it came."

Tracy Vest, relief manager at the Market Tavern, said the drains could not cope with the sheer volume of water.

She said: "We ended up with barrels floating about down in the cellar. The water was going straight into the cellar hatch, though thankfully we managed to keep most of it away from the bar, because we stood at the front door with brushes sweeping it away.

"The cellar is in a bit of a mess, but at least we have managed to stay open for business."