Heavy weather hits rally stages

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Two stages of the World Rally Championship in Northern Ireland have been hit by bad weather.

Stages in Murlo and Fardross were scrapped after being left with standing water on Friday.

Clerk of the course Gordon Noble said they were disappointed for fans, but hoped for better weekend conditions.

The forecast heavy rain brought forward the launch of a new floodine for Northern Ireland, 0300 2000 100, to make it easier to report flooding.

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Tom Kennedy, programme director for the new line, said it provided the public with one point of contact.

"While this new number cannot undo the damage caused by flooding, it will make it simpler for people to report incidents," he said.

"They will no longer have to decide whether to phone Rivers Agency, Roads Service or NI Water or wonder which telephone number to ring.

"All they will have to do now is to ring one number and the incident line operators will route the report to the right flooding response agency.