AS heavy rains beat down again and flood warnings are repeated, stricken businesses and properties across the district are still battling to return to normality from Boxing Day's record-breaking deluge.

An estimated £5 million of damage was caused across the district when rivers burst their banks flooding homes and businesses.

Some residents in Shipley, Bingley and Keighley are still unable to live in their homes due to the extent of the damage caused.

Uninsured Bradford and Bingley Sports Club has discovered it faces a £125,000 restoration bill, said rugby club secretary Nick Patterson.

"We've just finished a complete assessment of the damage to ourselves, the cricket and canoe clubs and the current estimate is at least £125,000 just to put us back to where we were.

"And that doesn't include any remedial work to improve drainage or banking on the River Aire.

"We've got to carry out repair to the pitches, and in the clubhouse everything has been laid waste - the kitchen, with all the fridges and appliances, was wiped out and that will be £15,000 on its own."

Catering manager Louise Cochrane was in her wrecked kitchen yesterday, which will also need re-flooring.

"I'm not giving in," she said defiantly as car park puddles began to grow outside.

"We've been flooded three times in two months and it has been frightening.

"But all the volunteers who've helped us have just been amazing - that was one lovely part about it."

All proceeds from a benefit gig at Baildon Club on Saturday evening featuring AC/DC tribute band Highway To Hull and seven-piece party band Radio City will go to help the Wagon Lane sports club.

It been organised by the boss of Baildon music shop Beat It, Matthew Wildman, who has links with the rugby club.

In Stockbridge, Keighley, Jayne Owen, of baby shop Bumps and Babes which was flooded out, said it was now on course to re-open.

"We will be back and we are moving forward with getting things up and running, but it will take a while. So much has been destroyed," she said.

Positive action is also being taken by newly-formed Aire Debris Removal Initiative, a volunteer group of litter pickers co-ordinated by Shipley resident Mat Holloway.

"It's the local community that are making all the difference and doing fantastic work, we had a trial run at Hirst Wood Locks last weekend and collected 22 sacks of rubbish from the riverbank and its trees in just two hours," he said.

"We've had great support from local councillors and council officers and each week we hope to work on a different area along the Aire.

"Our next clear up will be this Sunday, January 31, concentrating between the weir at Hirst Mill and Roberts Park and we plan to meet by the cricket pitch at Roberts Park at 10am and take it from there."

All volunteers should wear appropriate clothing and more details are available from the Airedri Facebook page.

More details are available via email to airedri@gmail.com and the Facebook page is www.facebook.com/airedri 

Two badly-hit pubs in Bingley have now passed key points in their grand clean-ups following devastating flood damage.

Brown Cow landlord Matthew Hogg was yesterday hosing silt from the car park of the pub beside Ireland Bridge which was 5ft deep in water on Boxing Day.

"It's raining again - but that actually makes this job easier," Mr Hogg said.

The Timothy Taylor's pub was booming following an £80,000 refit - but then the floods struck.

Mr Hogg said: "We're hoping to be up and running and even better than before by the end of April, but there still such a lot of work to do.

"All the oak flooring came up and had to be ripped out and although we could put slate down, that would change the atmosphere of the pub.

"So we must wait for it to dry out some more.

"The extensive bar and all of the kitchen have been gutted ready for total replacement.

"The support we've had from local people has been tremendous and I'm sure that will really show itself when we open up again," Mr Hogg said.

And around the corner at the Old White Horse Inn in Old Main Street, workmen were busy filling skips with sodden carpets, timber and fittings.

When the Aire burst its banks the tenanted pub was some 4ft under water with the tide mark still visible on its white outer wall.

Road repairs to damage across the district are still taking place and in Haworth a road is open again after being closed since the Boxing Day floods.

Damage beneath Victoria Road, close to its junction with Mill Hey, caused it to be shut for repairs by Yorkshire Water.

Durham Regatta and Durham Amateur Rowing Club (ARC) have also each pledged £1,000 to Bradford Amateur Rowing Club, which is trying to raise money to rebuild a weir on the River Aire in Shipley which collapsed during the flooding.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has urged residents and businesses to heed warnings about possible flooding from Storm Gertrude which threatens further heavy rainfall and flooding.

Take up of a scheme which automatically sends flood warnings to homes and businesses across the Bradford district has been slow compared to other Northern areas where take up of the Flood Warnings Direct service has been as high as 80 per cent.

Graham Lindsey, the Environment Agency’s flood resilience advisor, said: "As we have already seen across many areas this winter, flooding can have a devastating effect on people’s lives, with as many as one in six properties at risk of flooding in the UK.

"While we work hard to to reduce the risk of flooding across Yorkshire, there are many useful precautions people can take, including ensuring they know their flood risk and signing up to receive flood warnings. As well as registering to receive warnings, it’s important to think about a plan to prepare."

Check to see if free flood warnings are available in your community and sign up by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

As well as checking flood risk, residents can also find out what action they can take to protect their personal safety and property by visiting the Environment Agency website at gov.uk/floodsdestroy