Two rescued after gravel washed down flooded Sleights hill

Up to 600 tonnes of gravel has been washed "several hundred metres down the hill" from the A169 at Blue Bank into the village of Sleights

Two people have been rescued after seven vehicles got stuck in flood waters which washed 600 tonnes of gravel down a steep hill near Whitby.

The pair were "led to safety" by firefighters in the village of Sleights on Monday night, the fire service said.

Heavy rain caused the gravel to be swept from an escape lane on the A169 at Blue Bank down into the village, North Yorkshire County Council said.

Torrential downpours have caused widespread problems across England.

A spokesperson for the service said: "It appears a lot of people stuck inside the vehicles had got themselves out, but crews from Whitby led the two to safety."

'Vehicles abandoned'

It is unclear how many people were in each of the seven vehicles.

Richard Marr, the council's area manager for highways, said the gravel was washed out from an escape road on the A169 Coach Road "several hundred metres down the hill" into the front gardens of homes.

In a statement, the authority said staff were working to clear the Pickering to Whitby road, which remains closed.

The council said: "Numerous properties were flooded, vehicles abandoned and large amounts of debris, mainly from the gravel trap, blocked the carriageway. Gullies, manholes and property entrances were blocked for the full length of Coach Road.

"Sandbags were put out where needed overnight and the road remains closed while drainage repairs and a clean up get under way. A gully emptier, JCBs and high pressure jets are being used to clear the road."

Torrential downpours in the wake of Storm Angus has also caused problems in the Calder Valley, West Yorkshire