THIS brilliant picture, which appeared on our front page on Wednesday, became a national talking point because it captured the A1 as it had never been seen before – under water.

Chief photographer Richard Doughty was driving on the A168 on his way from York to Darlington on Tuesday morning, and was approaching Northallerton when he heard on the radio that the A1 was closed.

He cut across towards Scorton on a B road, which was only just passable because it was under 2ft of water, and made it to Catterick Village. He parked up and set off walking half a mile up the A1 in his wellies.

Richard took the picture, trudged back to his car through incessant rain, and had no choice but to set off back home to York.

His camera had packed up because of the drenching it had taken, and his car spluttered all the way home. He managed to transmit the picture once his camera had dried out.

Richard is now suffering from a heavy cold and, speaking through sinuses more blocked than a flooded motorway, told me: “I’b neber seen a botorway like it in all by tibe as a probessional photograber.”