INTENSE bouts of flooding are set to become more frequent in the region, the Environment Agency (EA) has warned.

It says the regularity of severe storms is increasing as climate changes occur.

According to Met Office statistics there have been 17 record-breaking rainfall months or seasons since 1910, and nine of those have been since 2000.

The EA has now launched a new flood action campaign.

It is specifically aimed at younger people, and will use social media and online advertising to encourage them to check their flood risk.

They can sign-up for free warnings at gov.uk.

The campaign follows research which shows that 18-to-34-year-olds are least likely to perceive flood risk to their area, know how to protect their homes or where to go for information.

Sir James Bevan, the EA’s chief executive, said: “Climate change is likely to mean more frequent and intense flooding.

“Floods destroy lives, livelihoods and property.

“Our flood defences reduce the risk and our flood warnings help keep communities safe when it threatens. But we can never entirely eliminate the risk of flooding.

“Checking your flood risk is the first step to protecting yourself, your loved ones and your home.”

December 2015 was the wettest month ever recorded, and floods struck across the region on Boxing Day.

Parts of the Keighley area – most notably Stockbridge, Haworth and South Craven – were badly hit, with homes and businesses being affected.

The Met Office has published data which reveals that in England and Wales, there is a one in three chance of a new monthly rainfall record in at least one region every winter.

Professor Adam Scaife, who leads the area of research for the Met Office, said: “By their very nature, extreme events are rare and a novel research method was needed to quantify the risk of extreme rainfall within the current climate.

“The Met Office ‘super computer’ was used to simulate thousands of possible winters, some of them much more extreme than we’ve yet witnessed.

“This gave many more extreme events than have happened in the real world, helping us work out how severe things could get.”