The alert was issued just before 10am today, with torrential rain forecast to continue over the weekend.

Pickering was under water in June 2007 and there has been criticism that little has been done to improve flood defences since then.

In Scarborough a caravan park has been hit by some flooding following heavy rain across the region.

Holidaymakers at Cayton Bay Holiday Park were left bemused by the flooding in a section of the site where the water was about 2ft deep in some parts.

One man, who had to wade through the water, said: "I had to shift my car at about 1.30am. I got woken up at 7am saying you've got to move it again."

It is believed staff at the park were using a pump to clear it but a spokesman declined to comment on the incident.

Emergency services are on standby across the region with severe flood warnings at Kirkbymoorside, Pickering and Catterick in Richmond.

In Pickering the public car park at the railway station is under water and the town council's flood emergency group manned the council's offices to keep an eye on the floods and went out door knocking.

An emergency meeting was held between the fire service, police and council emergency planners for the Ryedale area this morning.