Pictures: York defences hold as city faces anxious wait for peak river levels

This is the state of the river in York this morning (Monday).

It is flooding near the banks, but the defences are holding firm.

The latest forecast from the government is the River Ouse will peak lower than previously predicted, at 4.5m at 11am today.

All the signs are that this will mean the city centre will remain unscathed.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell told YorkMix: “We think we’ve got about another half metre for the river to rise through the day.

“But the barriers from what I can see are holding, which is good news.”