UK floods: hundreds flee homes as swaths of northern England submerged

" Met Office issues two highest-level red weather warnings
" Rescue services called to hundreds of incidents in Lancashire
" Severe flood warning in place for Leeds city centre

Hundreds of people fled their homes after torrential rain triggered flooding in towns across Lancashire and West Yorkshire, and dangerously high waters even reached the cities of Manchester and Leeds.

The Met Office issued two of its most serious, red weather warnings - indicating a danger to life - for the area and warned that up to five inches of rain could fall over the weekend. In addition, the Environment Agency (EA) issued 31 severe flood warnings - which also signal danger to life - as well as hundreds of standard flood warnings, which mean that immediate action is required.