A £1.5 million scheme to save homes and businesses in the district from flooding has stood up to the pressure.

The flood-defence systems put into the banks of the River Aire at Stockbridge in Keighley saved hundreds of homes and businesses from flooding in the recent downpours, the Environment Agency said.

Washlands designed to take the excess flow from the river had also worked well and saved homes in Skipton and Keighley when the region was hit by the torrential downpours on Tuesday.

Officials from the EA said while there had been concerns that the Aire would break its banks at Crossflatts, Esholt, Apperley Bridge and Cononley it had not, meaning residents had been spared the flooding devastation of 2000.

In November that year floods left a trail of destruction along the Aire Valley in Skipton, Keighley, Bingley, Baildon, Esholt and Apperley Bridge. In Stockbridge, 290 residential and 15 commercial properties were flooded in the worst flooding the area had experienced in 50 years.

Last year £36.6 million was pledged for flood defences across Yorkshire to prevent the flooding happening again. Of this, £1.5 million was spent improving defences in Stockbridge.

An EA spokesman said: "The agency explored various options for improving flood defences and constructed a £1.5 million scheme of extension to existing flood-defence walls as well as new walls.

"The scheme was built over several years to protect against a flood with a one per cent chance of it happening in any one year."

Heavy and persistent rain has been forecast for today with a risk of flooding, however only one flood warning remains in place - at Cononley near Skipton.

The weather is expected to clear up tomorrow with more rain on Saturday.

The Environment Agency is continuing to monitor sites down the River Aire.

The Telegraph & Argus reported yesterday how homes and businesses across the district had been hit by the floods.

Commercial and residential properties in Bradford Central, Ilkley, Bingley, Shipley, Haworth and Brighouse were all affected.

Bradford Council said it was continuing to deal with the aftermath of the flooding.

A spokesman said: "Council staff have been mending damaged road surfaces, following up calls from the public and ensuring that road grills are cleared of flood debris."