Thousands Of Families Face Eight Months Away From Their Flooded Homes

Thousands of families are this evening facing the 'soul-destroying' prospect of eight months away from their homes as insurers prepare for payouts of £500million in the aftermath of Storm Desmond.
It came as the devastating weather pattern claimed its second victim with Cumbria Police confirming that a body had been found in a search of the River Kent in Kendal after an elderly man fell into the water yesterday.

Almost 5,000 homes are still without power, while transport networks, schools and hospitals in the north of England face continued disruption.
To compound the misery, forecasters say another seven inches of rain is expected to fall across Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England between now and Thursday.
It follows confirmation from the Met Office that a new record was set at the weekend for the most amount of rain to fall in a 24-hour period. A total of 13.5 inches was recorded at a gauge in Honister Pass, Cumbria. A new record was also set for rainfall over a 48-hour period, with 15.9 inches falling in 38 hours at Thirlmere in Cumbria. 

The areas most badly hit by the flooding are Carlisle, Keswick, Appleby and Shap in Cumbria, Morecambe, Carnforth and Lancaster in Lancashire and Hawick and Perth in Scotland. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it was aware of 2,100 homes affected by the floods, while on Monday afternoon David Cameron visited some of the areas worst hit.

It is feared the clean-up operation could cost as much as half a billion pounds, exceeding the £400million spent following the flooding in Cumbria in 2005 and £276million four years later. 
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has now accused the Government of failing in its efforts to tackle flood defences, after heavy rainfall over the weekend managed to breach the £48million worth of defences installed following severe flooding in the region 2005 and 2009.

Clean-up: Thousands of families are this evening facing the 'soul-destroying' prospect of eight months away from their homes as insurers prepared for payouts of £500million in the aftermath of Storm Desmond. A resident in Keswick is pictured clearing debris from his home
Trail of destruction: The A592 between Patterdale and Glenridding in Cumbria was destroyed by the impact of Storm Desmond (pictured) 
Rescue workers were pictured carrying an elderly woman to safety as teams continued to evacuate homes in Carlisle on Monday afternoon
Some of the damage to a property in Keswick in Cumbria is pictured. The home was devastated by flood waters at the weekend
A girl watches rescue workers checking properties as teams continue to evacuate people from their homes following flooding in Carlisle
Devastated: Almost 5,000 homes are still without power, while transport networks, schools and hospitals in the north of England face continued disruption. One homeowner in Keswick is pictured trying to clear flood waters from her property
















Claire and Julian Armitage's house and bakery shop, called Claire's Bakery, on Warwick Road in Carlisle, Cumbria, was among those properties to be severely damaged this weekend. Household items could be seen bobbing in floodwater inside their home today (above)
Claire and Julian Armitage's house (left) in Carlisle, Cumbria, has been left severely damaged by floodwater brought by Storm Desmond
A group of young women watch rescue workers checking properties as dusk falls in Carlisle as they aim to evacuate more stricken people
Rescue teams armed with head torches and walking poles wade through the deep floodwater as they continue to evacuated Carlisle homes
The floodwater remained high in areas of Carlisle this evening with the devastation and deluge from Storm Desmond continuing to disrupt
Rescue teams continue to help evacuate people from their severely flooded homes as dusk falls in Carlisle, Cumbria, this evening
Speaking from the Trade Unions for Energy Democracy meeting in Paris, Mr Corbyn said: 'Last year, the Prime Minister of Britain promised that 'money is no object' in dealing with flooding, itself a consequence of the destruction of our environment.
'But this has proved to be yet another false promise. In the last parliament, the Government slashed spending on flood defences before the 2014 winter floods.
'The Government has failed to deliver on their promises. They have abandoned the consensus on flood investment built by the Labour party after the 2007 floods - and are failing the British people because of their obsession with austerity.'
Forty schools across Cumbria were closed today and Lancaster University was forced to cancel all classes until the New Year due to the flooding.
Engineers from Electricity North West worked through the night to restore power to 50,000 properties in Lancashire but widespread flooding devastation across the country led to the evacuation of more than 1,000 homes.
Many spent the night in the homes of strangers or temporary refuge centres as 46 severe flood warnings - indicating risk to life - remained in place in northern England.
Speaking from Carlisle, Superintendent Mark Pannone, of Cumbria Constabulary, said the flooding had been 'on an unprecedented scale', affecting the whole county.
Cumbria Police said some 2,685 properties in Cumbria remain without power. Mr Cameron has said the Government will fully reimburse councils for the costs of dealing with flooding. 

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A resident in Cockermouth, Graham McKenzie, 32 - who along with his wife and four children was evacuated from their home - told : 'It's absolutely soul-destroying, three weeks before Christmas with four kids and no idea what we'll do.
'They said that it might take three or four days before we can even get to look at the property and that it might be seven or eight months before it is habitable.'
Peter Gibson, 55, of Cockermouth, said: 'My property was flooded six years ago, and luckily I was insured.
'Since then insurance has become ridiculously expensive. I worry that not as many people will be insured this time round.
You can never be prepared for something like this, even though we were affected back in 2009. It has affected so many areas of Cumbria, it is devastating. It doesn't get any easier  Johnty Chippendale, Cockermouth'Luckily we have narrowly avoided being flooded. The Government has been criticised for not putting infrastructure in place to protect Cumbria from flooding.
'However, it is wasn't for the flood defences built after the 2009 flooding I believe the situation would have been a lot worse. My property would have been flooded without them.' 
The owners of The Toy Shop in Cockermouth have estimated that the full clean-up of their business, which was also affected by the horrific flooding in 2009, could take them well into next year.
Johnty Chippendale and his wife Fiona were forced to close the shop on Saturday due to the torrential weather before coming face to face with the devastating scenes early on Sunday morning.
The property flooded to such an extent that a lot of the stock, which is made of chip board and MDF, was seen floating around the store on their arrival.
Mr Chippendale, 54, said although the water inside rose to around two foot in depth and a lot of the toys have been destroyed, the couple were determined to keep trading while the clean-up operation continues.
He said: 'You can never be prepared for something like this, even though we were affected back in 2009.
'Nothing compares to that year but this time, the damage is so much more widespread. It has affected so many areas of Cumbria, it is devastating.
'It doesn't get any easier but you learn how to cope with the aftermath better.
'We walked into the shop to see a lot of our toys floating around. Now there is a lot of mud and we have spent the day cleaning it up but are determined to continue trading.'
Brian McCann surveys the damage as he stands in floodwater in his living room in Carlisle following a weekend of heavy rain in Cumbria
Vehicles stand submerged in floodwater, one with an industrial waste bin on its roof, in the car park of Carlisle United Football Club
Fire and Rescue teams continue their work to bring people out of flooded homes in Carlisle following heavy rain over the weekend
Rescuers help residents from their homes in Carlisle today amidst severe flooding as forecasters warn more rain is on the way
A rescuer helps residents out of a property in Carlisle (left) while a man empties floodwater from the drawers of his home in Cockermouth
A woman cleans floodwater from a business in Cockermouth where residents began a huge clean-up operation today following flooding
Houses in the city centre of Carlisle remained heavily submerged today as forecasters warned stormy conditions could return this week
Rescuers used inflatable boats to help evacuate residents from their homes in Carlisle, where cars were up to their doors in floodwater
A rescuer manages to help a dog to safety (left) while two rescuers help carry a man as he his evacuated from his flooded home in Carlisle
Rescue teams continue to to evacuate people from their homes in Carlisle as forecasters confirm a record amount of rain fell this weekend
Carlisle United Football Club's ground Brunton Park was underwater today with floodwater stretching half way up the goalpost and stands
Floodwater covers the pitch and some of the stands at Carlisle United Football Club's Brunton Park stadium after heavy rain this weekend
Ground workers at Carlisle United have a huge job on their hands to pump out the floodwater and return the pitch to a playable state
The Chippendales, who have owned The Toy Shop for 20 years, think it is too early to estimate the damage caused but believe their loss will be substantial with electrics and stock all needing to be replaced.
Mr Chippendale added: 'It certainly won't be a small claim. We have lost two days of trading, around 20 per cent of our stock and not to mention our power.
'It's hard to tell but I can definitely see the work taking us well into next year, there is damage everywhere.
EVIDENCE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE PLAYED PART IN SEVERE FLOODING The Met Office has warned that 'all the evidence' suggests that climate change could have played a role in the floods which have devastated thousands of homes following Storm Desmond.

Chief scientist Dame Julia Slingo said the extreme weather conditions were 'extraordinary'.
She told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'Is it to do with climate change? 
'There can't yet be a definitive answer but we know that all the evidence from fundamental physics and what we understand about our weather patterns, that there is potentially a role.' 


'But we will be keeping our spirits high and are determined to continue trading throughout the recovery process.
'We've had people coming in today and buying toys which is brilliant.
'Cumbria is an isolated community and people always come together in times of need, so the response to this has not surprised me. It is what we do.'
Elsewhere in the region, thousands of other residents faced a massive clean-up operation including in Keswick where residents piled their furniture and belongings in the middle of the road as they swept the mud and grime from their damaged homes.
On the outskirts of the town, Mike Stubbs was assessing the damage to his three-bedroom home which dates back to the 1700s and sits on the banks of the River Greta.
The property flooded to such an extent that water reached the ceiling of the ground floor and he said every single piece of furniture and all kitchen appliances have been completely destroyed.
The 62-year-old was evacuated from his home with his wife Sally on Saturday afternoon as the water rose to dangerous levels and returned to scenes of devastation the following day.
The diving consultant said: 'It was much, much worse than we expected. We were flooded in 2009, but this time it was about 12 feet worse.
'The floorboards on the first floor have been pushed up. That's how bad it is.
It has had a devastating effect on the property.
'Our home is called Bridge House, and it is attached to a bridge over the River Greta which has now collapsed.
'The very fabric of our house has been compromised because of the floods.
'The last time we were flooded in 2009 we managed to save our furniture by taking it outside and putting it on the patio. This time we have lost everything.'
Mr Stubbs and his wife are waiting to hear back from their insurers so that building work can begin and in the meantime are staying in a cottage they usually rent out.
At nearby Low Briery Holiday Park there were further scenes of devastation, with caravans torn to pieces by the torrents of water which cascaded through over the weekend. 


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It is feared the clean-up operation could cost as much as half a billion pounds, exceeding the £400million spent following the flooding in Cumbria in 2005 and £276million in 2009. The uprooted section of the A592 between Patterdale and Glenridding in Cumbria is pictured
David Cameron attended a meeting of flood rescue services at police headquarters in Carlisle after promising to visit the badly hit areas
The Prime Minister shook the hands of troops in Warwick Road, Carlisle, today as he thanked them for their help in evacuating residents
David Cameron looks at the flood defence system on Warwick Road in Carlisle as he vowed that the government would do all it can to help
The areas most badly hit by the flooding so far are Carlisle, Keswick, Appleby and Shap in Cumbria, Morecambe, Carnforth and Lancaster in Lancashire and Hawick and Perth in Scotland. Rescue teams are pictured carrying people to safety in Carlisle
Devastated home owner Mike Stubbs surveys the damaged to his riverside property in Keswick where the River Greta swept through his home during Storm Desmond
Homes, pavements and even traffic lights were covered in floodwater in Carlisle today as the clean-up operation got underway in Cumbria
A parking meter is heavily submerged in floodwater (left) while two homes saw water up to the middle of their front doors in Carlisle (right)
A man carries a bag of belongings and a duvet as he evacuates his property in Carlisle as the flooding across the north west continues
The areas most badly hit by the flooding so far are Carlisle, Keswick, Appleby and Shap in Cumbria, Morecambe, Carnforth and Lancaster in Lancashire and Hawick and Perth in Scotland (pictured)
'IT'S HEARTBREAKING': PREGNANT MOTHER SHARES HER STORY AFTER SEEING HER HOME DEVASTATED BY FLOODS Heartbroken Julie Hannah and her husband Campbell (pictured) are trying to clear up their house, left devastated by floods
Nineteen weeks pregnant and just 18 days to Christmas, heartbroken Julie Hannah is trying to clear up her house left devastated by floods.
The large Victorian property, on Warwick Road in Carlisle, was swamped in the deluge and now a skip outside is slowing filling up with debris from the family home.
Mrs Hannah, 33, a health and safety manager, her husband Campbell, 48, a taxi-driver and daughters, Jasmine, aged three and Darrelle, 24, were rescued from the upstairs rooms by boat at 5pm last night when the power failed.
Mrs Hannah said: 'It's heartbreaking but you've just got to get on with it, haven't you?
'I'll make sure we have a Christmas, when you've got three-year-old daughter, you've got to. We've already moved the Christmas tree, that's one of the first things I moved.
'Obviously when you have children, you don't want to ruin Christmas, do you?
'Jasmine thinks it's an adventure, we were sat on the stairs yesterday when the water was actually coming into the house and her reaction was, 'Oh the fairies might come and when we come down all the water might have gone'.
'They are just oblivious at that age.'
The house survived the 2005 deluge, with only the basement flooded.
But not this time.
Her husband's workshop in the cellar is still under water though the 8 inches of water that swept through the first floor has now subsided.
Mr Hannah was left picking his way through the wreckage in the dark, his feet squelching mud and sludge underfoot, pointing at furniture and possessions, muttering 'that'll probably survive' and 'that'll have to go' as he moves from room to room.
Noticing a PlayStation, dripping with water, he said: 'The water just came absolutely gushing into the house. It just came rushing in at the last minute.
'We are currently doing a clean up and risk assessment to see if we can stay here, until the builders come.'
The family took as much as they could upstairs, but tables and other furniture had to be sacrificed, piled high with settees, chairs, boxes of children's toys, files of paperwork - to keep them above the water level.
Mrs Hannah, 33, a health and safety manager, her husband Campbell, 48, a taxi-driver and daughters, Jasmine, aged three and Darrelle, 24, were rescued from the upstairs rooms by boat at 5pm last night when the power failed. They are now beginning the clean-up
The family took as much as they could upstairs, but tables and other furniture had to be sacrificed, piled high with settees, chairs, boxes of children's toys, files of paperwork - to keep them above the water level
The parquet flooring he had lovingly restored is being collected in buckets and dumped in the skip.
The ruined carpets will be next, along with the flooring and anything else the sewage-contaminated waters touched.
'I ordered a skip and thought I would come down and get all the muck out,' he said.
'I can make an assessment of what we need to get out, what can maybe be saved - and the fact that we could live in it, we don't have to rent another property.'
The family still count themselves lucky though - others farther down the street are suffering the floods for the second time in a decade.
'They've just finished acquiring stuff they lost ten years ago,' Mr Hannah said. 'Just really got over the floods and having to do it all again.
'We will be waiting a long time for insurance, for assessments, decision on what they are going to do.
'At least we have some time to find somewhere. We can get Christmas out the way and sort something out later and take it in our stride.'
Mrs Hannah added: 'For me, when I look at what we've got here, and I look at my aunty's house just round the corner, she's a lot worse off than what we are. But it's so heartbreaking.'
There are currently 45 severe flood warnings, 10 warnings and 16 alerts in force across Cumbria.
Although the weather improved slightly today, another storm is expected to hammer the county on Wednesday and Thursday.
A Met office spokesman said: 'We are expecting a further 100ml of rain within a 24 hour period.
'This is more than the average rainfall for the entire month. It is a lot to fall in that time.
'Any rain will cause problems as it will compound the current situation.
'Another weather front is coming in, there will be another storm. This will cause further disruption and flooding for the area.' 


Earlier today, an underwater search team was recovering a body found in Kendal in Cumbria after reports that an elderly man had fallen into the River Kent on Sunday morning.
The discovery of the body comes after the death of 90-year-old Ernie Crouch who was believed to have been blown into the side of a moving bus by strong winds near Finchley Central Tube station in London.
Tributes poured in for the keen Arsenal FC supporter, with the Premier League club tweeting: 'Everyone at Arsenal Football Club is saddened to learn of the passing of lifelong fan Ernie Crouch. May he rest in peace.' 
Meanwhile, MPs are now at loggerheads over the perceived failure of £48million in anti-flood investment, with Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron claiming the problem had been compounded by the shelving of nearly 300 flood defence schemes which had been deemed 'low priority'.
Environment Agency chief executive Sir James Bevan defended the spending on such schemes and said it was impossible to guarantee protection against such 'unprecedented' conditions.
Nevertheless, after chairing an emergency Cobra meeting this morning, David Cameron said the government will 'look again' at the nation's flood defences and whether they need to be strengthened in the aftermath of the floods.
He insisted that everything was being done to prevent further damage but fury is mounting over a lack of protection for Cumbria, which endured similar catastrophic flooding in 2005 and 2009. 
Liz Truss, the Environment Secretary, insisted flood defences had 'protected 8,600 homes across the north of England and, in thousands of other instances, provided vital time for homes and businesses to be evacuated as well as reducing the impact'.
After £48million anti-flood investment in the region in recent years, residents were reassured the deluges that devastated Carlisle in 2005 and Cockermouth in 2009 would not happen again in their lifetime.
But floods minister and Penrith MP Rory Stewart said: 'We have not seen weather like this … This is not just beyond living memory, it is beyond records in Cumbria.'
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron hit out at the Government and called on the Prime Minister to make 'very significant' sums available to flood victims. 
 

Community spirit: A man hands a tray of hot drinks and sausage sandwiches to residents who stayed in their flooded properties in Carlisle
Flood waters in the city centre of Carlisle rose so high that a car was almost fully submerged, while properties were also severely damaged
In the centre of Carlisle, in north west England, a car was left submerged under flood waters following record rainfall over a 24-hour period
This aerial photograph shows the scale of devastation caused by flooding in Carlisle in north west England following Storm Desmond
Cars and homes can be seen submerged into the flood waters. It came as David Cameron said he would visit badly affected areas
Joseph Holmes, nine, is seen helping his family remove ruined carpets from the family business, Capstick Carpets in Appleby, Cumbria
The youngster is pictured watching on as skips are delivered outside his father's business, which was severely flooded at the weekend
DRAMATIC MOMENT NARROWBOAT IS HALTED FROM SMASHING INTO BRIDGE AFTER IT WAS SWEPT AWAY IN STORMS This is the dramatic moment firefighters saved a narrowboat from smashing against a bridge after it was swept away on a swollen river.
The unmanned boat, called Expensive Hobby, came within a few feet of colliding with a pillar of a bridge after it drifted down the River Severn near Worcester on Saturday.
The narrowboat drifted downstream after surging floodwater ripped the pontoon clean off the riverbank where it had been moored the night before.
It travelled ten miles south down the River Severn until it was caught on camera entering Worcester by startled onlookers - on a collision course with the city's bridges. 
The narrowboat drifted downstream after surging floodwater ripped the pontoon clean off the riverbank where it had been moored. It travelled ten miles south down the River Severn until it was caught on camera entering Worcester - heading towards the city's bridges
Dramatic mobile phone footage shows the narrowboat crashing into the eastern bank of the river before becoming tangled in branches
Dramatic footage shows the boat crashing into the eastern bank before becoming tangled in branches.
Hereford and Worcester firefighters scrambled to Worcester Boat Club to launch a rescue mission.
At the last moment, a firefighter standing on the top of the narrowboat managed to hurl a rope to crew members on the riverbank and it was hauled to safety.
Rob Allen, Worcestershire and Herefordshire Fire and Rescue Service station commander, said: 'Our main concern was stopping the boat hitting the river bridge.
'The river conditions were dynamic. The water was flowing very fast. It was challenging due to that flow. The pontoon has been pulled away. It has been pulled away and dragged down the river.
'I am delighted we managed to secure the boat in such a quick and effective manner, limiting damage to the boat.'
Witness Royston Smith, 71, who called 999 when he spotted the out-of-control narrowboat, said: 'It was going into the bank then back out again.
'We thought somebody was on it at first but we thought, when we saw it spinning, there can't be.
'The fire crews were brilliant, really on the ball.' 
Hereford and Worcester firefighters scrambled to Worcester Boat Club to launch a rescue mission and managed to gain control of it
A firefighter standing on the top of the narrowboat managed to hurl a rope to crew members on the riverbank and it was hauled to safety

He said: 'Lower priority schemes were shelved and should have been funded. There is now a major task ahead of us in terms of repairing the damage caused by these floods, and I am calling on the government to support us in this and make additional funds available.'
Earlier today Cumbria council leader Stewart Young called for an investigation into the adequacy of flood defences after families said they had not been protected.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'I will be talking to our local MPs later today and if the Environment Agency needs to revisit them then that's what's going to have to happen because we can't continue to have events like this in Cumbria, we just won't be able to cope.'
Meanwhile, the mayor of Keswick told how Storm Desmond had 'completely overwhelmed' defences in his town. 

Paul Titley said the defences 'were designed for a one-in-100-year event - and since it's six years since we had the last one, we are sort of surprised'.
Downing Street said the Cobra meeting had considered the immediate help that could be offered to households and communities affected by the flooding, as well as longer-term efforts to get flood-hit areas 'back on their feet'.
Ministers were briefed over the phone on the operational response by chief constables for the affected areas and spoke to the Met Office about weather forecasts for the coming week.
The meeting also agreed that the Government should review the readiness of areas across England and Wales to cope with the record levels of rainfall which have been seen, including an assessment of existing flood defences to determine whether they need further strengthening.
There was 'agreement that the Government should now look again at ... the plans that we have in place and the flood defences that already exist, and whether there needs to be adjustment made to those based on the fact that we have seen unprecedented amounts of rainfall in some areas, going above the flood defences that had been planned for on the basis of the levels of water that there were in 2005', said the Prime Minister's spokeswoman.
Water levels in Carlisle reached about 50cm above the level seen in 2005, which was itself 50cm above the previous record in 1853, said the spokeswoman.
Areas of Carlisle city centre remained underwater today as lifeboat teams battled the floods to try to rescue stranded residents.
Shops, houses and whole streets are still submerged on Warwick Road, while the clean-up has begun in the small town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria as the water receded and revealed the devastating aftermath of Storm Desmond.
Family business, Capstick Carpets, began a massive clean-up after their store had been gutted by rainwater, with many carpets left damaged and the store severely flooded.
Youngster Joseph Holmes, nine, worked with his father to clear the ruined stock into skips as the despondent family looked to restore what they could of their livelihood.
The widespread flooding has led to a number of road closures in the north west of England. A map released by the AA shows some of them
Offering a hand: Volunteers helped remove a damaged TV from a property in Keswick after the home was ruined by the severe flooding
Workers at the Book Shop on Main Street in Cockermouth, Cumbria, who were flooded in 2009, start the clean up all over again following the torrential rain over the weekend
Fiona Chippendale, who also saw her Toy Shop flooded in 2009, starts the clean up all over again in her store on Main Street, Cockermouth
Hayley Caunce, 29, and Jamie Traynor, 31, didn't let the wet weather and severe flooding ruin their wedding day near Kendal, Cumbria
Hayley Caunce, 29, and Jamie Traynor, 31, posed in their wellies in floodwater and in the back of a jeep after trying the knot in Cumbria
Wedding photographer Tiree Dawson braved the floods caused by Storm Desmond to photograph the happy couple on Saturday

Elsewhere, neighbours embraced in the street as a sense of community spirit began sweeping through the clean-up operation.
Appleby-in-Westmorland residents are starting to count the cost of the floods as they begin the distressing task of empting houses of damaged furniture and ruined possessions.
Streets in the small town, known for its annual horse fair, have been left scattered with debris as the overflowing river water finally receded.
Appleby Bowls Club, however, remains submerged by flood water as members join together to begin the huge clean up in the surrounding areas.
Catherine Hoggins, 42, who only opened Appleby Barber Shop in the town last Monday, has been forced to relocate her shop due to the flooding.
She said: 'What can you say? Self-employed, three kids, single mum, three weeks before Christmas, what do you do?
'For me personally it's devastating. You have got to crack on, haven't you? I'm devastated more for my kids because there is no money coming in.
'I've saved my chairs, my mirrors and my reception desk but I've lost all of my cutting equipment and my electrical equipment.
'I live at the other side of the river so I couldn't even get over to try and salvage any of it before the river burst its banks.'
Jackie Kilpatrick, 58, was also a relative newcomer to Bridge Street with her interior furnishings business, Jak & Co, only open for four weeks.
She explained it was a new business venture after previously running a bakery in the town for most of her life.
She said: 'I'm devastated. Everybody has been affected but I will say there has been an amazing community spirit.
'Everybody all day long has pulled together. We have gone from shop to shop, there has been a lot of people who have helped.
'Obviously our busiest period was coming up, over the next three weeks leading up to Christmas. It will be at least February before lots of people get open again.
'Luckily we have got an upstairs so we could move a lot of our stock out of the way but other businesses didn't.'
She praised her insurers, the National Farmers Union, as 'second to none'.
'They are going to arrange skips and get humidifiers in tomorrow,' she said.
She added: 'Lots of people are in a worst state than I am because some people have lost everything in their homes. At least we have just lost a shop.'
David Sykes, from the Eden River Cafe, decided to shut his business at about 9.30am on Saturday.
He said: 'I had a look at the bridge and thought I'm going home. I shut up shop and went. We have lost 90 per cent of stuff inside. We have got a few Christmas meals booked in, some for Thursday and some for the weekend, which obviously we will have to cancel now.
'That's our livelihood in there. It's a suck it and see scenario now. We have got to wait for insurance, get things started again hopefully. You have to get a specialist in to clean it, it has to be done properly. Then it has to be dried and then refitted.
'Being realistic I think it will be the end of February/ March before we get going again.'
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Shock: People walk along the bank of the River Greta in Keswick as they survey the debris left following extensive flooding in the town
A rescue worker is pictured carrying a dog to safety from a flooded property in Carlisle. Water levels in the city reached about 50cm above the level seen in 2005, which was itself 50cm above the previous record in 1853, the Prime Minister's spokeswoman said earlier today
Destruction: A man by Pooley Bridge in Ullswater, Cumbria surveys the damage after it collapsed following heavy flooding at the weekend
A shovel is left by a park bench as silt covers the bowling green in Fitz park after the River Greta burst its banks in Keswick at the weekend
People were seen walking along the bank of the River Greta in Keswick, where trees had been uprooted after the river burst its banks
In Carlisle, residents waded through flooded streets (pictured left), with some carrying several suitcases of belongings with them (right)


Manning a desk outside the town's tourist information office was town councillor Sally Hutchinson where the local Spar store - which was flooded itself, had provided bread, scones and iced fingers to give away to those in need.
She said: 'I have lived here for 25 years and I have never seen anything like this but the community spirit is absolutely amazing. Everybody has pulled together, there are people who are homeless and are helping other people.
'We just hope that help will be here in two months' time. We need businesses open because they pay wages, its not just the business owners, it's people who work in the town. The town will die if we don't regenerate it. Let's hope we get fancy grants and all the rest of it.' 

Cumbria Police has estimated 4 or 5,000 homes are flooded and hundreds of people have been evacuated and 55,000 homes lost power across Lancashire. 
The force has also increased patrols in the area following the 2005 floods that resulted in looting incidents in the county. A spokesman said there was so far no suggestion of a repeat from a decade ago. 
He added: 'There has been some speculation to suggest that police are dealing with looting incidents in the county, particularly in Carlisle.
'After the 2005 floods there were several looting reports and, as a result, following the 2009 floods the patrols were stepped up in preparation.
TOURISM INDUSTRY ASKS FOR HELP Tourism chiefs in Cumbria have urged the Government to provide funding for the local industry.
Ian Stephens, managing director of Cumbria Tourism, said: 'Our thoughts are with all of the people and businesses across Cumbria affected by this weekend's weather events.
'We are strongly urging the Government to allocate funds to enable Cumbria's £2.44 billion tourism industry to get back on its feet in the coming weeks and months.
'Cumbria Tourism has a great deal of experience in dealing with such crises and played a key role in co-ordinating business recovery after the 2005, 2009 Cumbria floods and the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2001.'
The organisation has set up a helpline - 01539 822222 during normal office hours - to provide visitors and businesses with up-to-date information.
Holidaymakers planning to travel to the county are asked to check ahead that their accommodation is available.
'As a precaution, extra patrols for this purpose have again been deployed in the Carlisle area.
'However, at this time we have had no reports of looting.' 

Meanwhile, environment Secretary Liz Truss this afternoon set out more details of the Government's response in an oral statement to the House of Commons.
She paid tribute to the work of the emergency services and said the Government would be there to support the residents who have been affected.
Ms Truss also confirmed that Storm Desmond had led to 'a number of weather-related fatalities' either 'caused by or exacerbated' by the recent flooding.
The Government has already committed to a £2.3billion programme of flood defences over six years.
Environment Agency chief executive Sir James Bevan defended spending on flood defences and said it was impossible to guarantee protection against such 'unprecedented' conditions.
Existing defences had prevented thousands of homes being inundated and given those who were affected more time to prepare, he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
'Nature is nature. From time to time nature will throw things at us that overwhelm the system and I think that's what happened here,' said Sir James.
'You can never completely protect all communities. What you can do is make the best judgments about the most appropriate ways to protect the maximum number of people in a given place.'
He dismissed suggestions that the Agency acted more swiftly to deal with floods in the South of England, but acknowledged that it would have to review what happened in Cumbria in order to 'learn the lessons for the future'.
Responding to complaints - including from Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency was among those badly affected - that schemes promised after previous floods had been shelved, Sir James said those dealing with a 'particularly urgent need' were prioritised.
Chancellor George Osborne had protected a £2.3 billion investment in defences over five to six years, he noted.
More rain than the average for the whole of December fell in a day, prompting many residents to declare Christmas 'cancelled' after waking up to the prospect of being homeless over the festive season.
But forecasters warned worse could be to come on Wednesday, continuing to the weekend, with more heavy rain expected to hit parts of northern England and Scotland.
Dramatic aerial photographs have revealed the destruction caused by Storm Desmond, which brought 13.5 inches of rain in 24 hours. The Met Office said 39 warnings and 47 alerts remained in place on top of the 46 severe flood warnings.
In Carlisle, the Army was sent to help support emergency services as they spent a second day evacuating people from their homes in streets where cars were almost entirely submerged. Flood waters also rose to first-floor windows, while trains are still unable to travel between England and Scotland via Preston today.
But while the rain and heavy winds, which prompted Cumbria to declare a major incident, subsided on Sunday, the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for the rest of the week and forecast 'persistent rain'.
Travel disruption: As the sun set in Carlisle a man was pictured riding his bicycle through flood water along Eldridge Street in the city
Anger is beginning to mount over the failure of Cumbria's £48million flood defences - 'designed for a one-in-100-year event' - as the clean-up operation continues in the aftermath of Storm Desmond. Shop workers were seen clearing rubbish from a store in Cockermouth today
Clean-up: Around 7,000 homes were still without power this morning, while further disruption to travel, hospitals and schools is feared after forecasters said 7 inches of rain is expected to fall by Thursday. People were seen scooping flood water out of a Cockermouth shop
Scene of devastation: A total of 2,657 properties remain without power in Cumbria. This graphic shows the flood-hit areas in the county
Response: David Cameron has said he will visit the badly affected areas later today after chairing an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the response to the flooding this morning. A Christmas is shown being removed from an estate agents in Cockermouth this morning
The aftermath: A worker clears away silt close to a large Christmas tree on the main street in Cockermouth, northern England this morning
Members of the emergency services travel in an amphibious vehicle as they prepare to rescue residents from their homes in Carlisle
A woman with a pushchair stops to look at the city centre submerged under flood waters in Carlisle, north west England on Monday
Mr Cameron chaired an early morning meeting of the Government's contingencies committee Cobra in Whitehall to discuss the latest situation with ministers and emergency service chiefs and oversee the official response to the flooding.
Following the hour-long meeting, the Prime Minister said: 'There'll be further announcements this morning - and later I will visit badly hit areas.'
This morning 2,657 properties remained without power in Cumbria, where floodwater is restricting access for Electricity North West teams, and a further 7,400 in Lancashire.
Around lunchtime the electricity company confirmed that all but 300 customers in Lancaster, Morecombe and the surrounding areas now had power.
In 2009 floods hit 1,300 homes in Cockermouth, Cumbria. This time, the £4.4million new defences briefly held, but were eventually breached

DAVID CAMERON: COUNCILS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR FLOODING COSTS The Government will fully reimburse councils for the costs of dealing with flooding, the Prime Minister has said.
David Cameron was speaking at the De Ferrers Academy in Burton, Staffordshire, and said there were some levels of rainfall that it was 'extremely hard' to protect against.
Storm Desmond saw some parts of Cumbria hit with 341mm of rain - more than a month's worth - in 24 hours which has left more than 2,000 homes and businesses flooded.
Mr Cameron said: 'First of all our hearts must go out to families who have been driven out of their homes by flood water, many of whom will have had a very worrying 48 hours stuck in their homes and I think the emergency services have done a brilliant job.
'What we must do now is make sure everything is done to help in this vital phase of dealing with the floods.
'Then there's the vital recovery phase where we need to try and help people get their insurance claims and help people get back into their homes.
'We should sit down again with the Environment Agency and look at the flood schemes that have been built, look at the ones that are planned... and ask what can we do, what's in the plan for the future and how does that need to change.'
He also said Environment Secretary Liz Truss would announce that the Bellwin scheme will 'kick in'.
He said: 'That's the scheme where central Government reimburses local authorities for their costs in dealing with floods.'
The Bellwin scheme was previously used to help with the clear up from widespread flooding in southern England in 2013-14.
Sian Lawson, 46, and her daughter Emilie, 18, suffered £200,000 of damage to their home last time and could not return for seven months.
Again, they have been forced to leave. Mrs Lawson said: 'We got as much as we could upstairs, but couldn't do anything about the large items.
'I am slightly angry that the defences didn't hold - you expect them to hold - but Mother Nature is what it is.'
And Julia Whittle, 70, who lives alone in Carlisle, said she had been reassured after her home was flooded in 2005 that it would not happen again.
Back then she lost everything on the ground floor. She said: 'They spent £25million on flood defences… but it has made no difference.
'I really thought it would be completely safe after all the work they did. I am a bit in denial... If my daughter wasn't here I would probably be hysterical.'
Mrs Whittle said she was unable to move things upstairs, and is dreading returning to her home where the water was said to be 'waist-high'. 
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said Cumbria rain gauge figures showed a record amount had fallen in the 24 hours between Friday and Saturday evenings.
It measured 341mm in Honister, which is more than a month's worth of rainfall in just one day and more than the UK has experienced in such a short amount of time.
Ms Truss said more than 2,000 homes and businesses in the county had been flooded and promised further investments would be made to protect the area in the future.
She said: 'We are delivering on our manifesto commitment to build 1,400 new flood defence schemes that will better protect 300,000 more homes. That's an extra £2.3 billion of capital investment to help our most at-risk communities.'
A tweet from David Cameron added: 'The thoughts of the country are with the people in Cumbria and the NW hit by flooding. The Govt is doing everything it can to help them.'
The disruption has led to the cancellation of appointments and routine services across NHS hospitals and services today. The Cumbria Partnership Foundation Partnership has said it will be running only essential services and more information is available via the website.
Speaking from Carlisle, Superintendent Mark Pannone, of Cumbria Constabulary, said: 'A lot of the county are trying to get back to normality but we still have the ongoing incident in Carlisle where we have about 2,500 properties in Carlisle flooded.
'People overnight have been staying in their houses or in reception centres and those that have been in their houses still need to be evacuated by boat this morning.
'The other issue we have got is that the road network is complicated throughout the county, inasmuch as Kendal will be in gridlock today because the bridges will have to be inspected for structural damage.'
He added that the rail network in Cumbria remained 'basically at a standstill'.
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron was among those stranded as he drove through his Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency with four children in the car and got stuck on a heavily flooded back road. He called one the government to make 'very significant' sums available to flood victims.
Hundreds of people were rescued from homes in Keswick, Appleby, Kendal and Penrith, where the British Red Cross opened evacuation centres.
Helicopters were scrambled to airlift families in more remote areas.
An appeal by Cumbria Community Foundation to raise £1 million to support vulnerable individuals and families who have been badly affected by the floods is under way and has already raised well over £100,000.
It aims to distribute grants to those most in need to help cover costs of cleaning up, emergency repairs, clothing, food and drink, heating and heating equipment, child care equipment and basic furniture.
Elsewhere roads were washed away and many train and ferry services cancelled, including the main rail line from England to Scotland.
In London, the heavy winds caused a fatality when a 90-year-old man was believed to have been blown into the side of a moving bus by a gust of wind, near Finchley Central Tube station.
Twenty schools across Cumbria are closed today and Lancaster University has cancelled all classes until the New Year. Students were evacuated from their accommodation and instead spent the night in the university's Great Hall (pictured)
A security management team at Lancaster University last night handed out blankets and food on a first-come first-served basis (pictured)
Students can be seen queuing up to enter Lancaster University's Great Hall after being evacuated from their accommodation yesterday
In Long Marton, in Cumbria, hundreds of tons of earth has slipped onto the road after a hillside collapsed under the weight of heavy rain
Boulders and rubble block the A591 road, running along the side of Thirlmere reservoir in the heart of the lake district, following a record 405mm of rain in 38 hours, which has caused widespread flooding across the region
A car was unable to continue along the A591 after boulders and rubble blocked the road along the side of Thirlmere reservoir (pictured)
Emergency response: A police underwater and marine search vehicle was stationed next to the River Kent in Staveley, Cumbria on Monday


Fields, homes and even Carlisle United's football ground have been left underwater after rivers burst their banks following the huge amount of rainfall.
And there is more to come, with Met Office severe warnings in place until Thursday - and up to seven inches of rain expected between now and then.
Flooding was so severe in Cumbria that a major incident had to be declared and Army personnel and Chinook helicopters were called in to help.
CARLISLE'S HOSPITAL DECLARES MAJOR INTERNAL INCIDENT A hospital in Carlisle has declared an internal major incident following mass power cuts.
The Cumberland Infirmary fell victim to the power cuts, which affected most of Cumbria in the aftermath of the storm, and was left running ongenerators.
And North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust consequently had no choice but to declare an internal major incident.
Dr Craig Melrose, the regional interim medical director for NHS England, said: 'This has been a difficult 24 hours.
'At the moment our hospital sites Royal Lancaster Infirmary in Lancaster, Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal, West Cumberland and Cumberland Infirmary have been most seriously affected.
'We have asked staff who are due to come into work to not take any risks with their own safety and to get in touch if they can't make it in.' 


Police, mountain rescue teams and firefighters were also trying to reach those stranded in their homes, as the water rose to waist-height. 


The disruption has led to the cancellation of appointments and routine services across NHS hospitals and services in Cumbria today. 
Carlisle was among the worst affected areas, with about 2,000 homes and businesses flooded, and residents were told to stay indoors and not to travel.
Those already evacuated from their homes were told not to return last night and faced a night sleeping in makeshift shelter accommodation.

David Wildridge, his wife Melanie and children Maddie, 11 and Ayden, nine, had time to take only a few bags and their dog, Fletch, before being rescued by boat from their home in Carlisle city centre as roads were submerged.
Mr Wildridge said emergency services had been worried about a crack in a join between a flood defence wall and a bridge over the River Eden, close to their home.
He said: 'Our house is one of the last ones on the list. We live very near to the bridge and the flood water in the house came up through the floor, about a foot of water.
'There's nothing you can do about it. We just took the advice of the rescuers and left.'
Peter Brown had to leave his Carlisle home in the early hours yesterday with his 15-year-old daughter Rebecca. The HGV driver said: 'We got a knock on the door at 5.45am saying we will have to evacuate the premises. I literally grabbed a few things, put valuables upstairs.
'My living room and staircase is now underwater. We could watch the water creeping higher up the street until it got to our house. I think if it wasn't for the flood defences it could have been a lot worse. The amount of rainfall we have had is something like two months in the space of four hours.'
And Barbara Westmoreland said her partner Gordon Hastings had to rescue his parents, who had been forced to take shelter upstairs from the 4ft of water in their home.
Miss Westmoreland said an earlier rescue by her partner had failed and the couple did not want to leave their dog Ella. 
She added: 'They brought a 4x4 and wore waders but they couldn't get through and went home with wet pants. I think the dog is the key player here. They are worried about getting the dog in a boat.'
Miss Westmoreland said the couple had been put on the list taken by emergency services to be rescued by boat. She added: 'It is worse this time than when they were flooded ten years ago. Christmas is cancelled, that's what they said.' 
In Yorkshire, the beer garden of The Ferry Inn pub in Cawood was under water after the River Ouse flooded following Storm Desmond
A flood warden for Cawood is seen looking at the River Ouse in Yorkshire, which burst its banks over the weekend following heavy rain
Rescue workers took to canoes to bring food and water for residents unwilling to leave their flooded homes after the nearby river Eden burst its banks over the weekend in Carlisle
In Carlisle, resident Aaron Turnball helped clear a friend's house on Warwick Road (left), a property severely damaged by flooding (right)






A rescue worker carried a young woman to safety through the flood water as teams continued to evacuate homes in Carlisle (pictured)
Other residents were carried away on the backs of rescuers as teams worked tirelessly to get people to safety following Storm Desmond
Members of the emergency services clean floodwater from their clothing and equipment in a mobile wash station in Carlisle this afternoon
Rescuers clean floodwater from their waterproof suits as they take a break from evacuating residents at a mobile station in Carlisle
CATS, DOGS, RABBITS, CHICKENS... AND EVEN A DONKEY: PETS RESCUED FROM STORM DESMOND FLOODING While hundreds of people have been rescued from the severe flooding caused by Storm Desmond over the weekend, a host of pets have also been saved - including cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens and even a donkey.
The RSPCA has had four flood rescue teams helping out across Northern England since vast swathes of the region became deluged by widespread flooding from Friday.
As residents were forced to flee their homes, some pets got left behind - leading the RSPCA to get involved.
The animal charity said it had so far rescued eight dogs, seven cats, four rabbits and three chickens.
Since Friday, it has received 77 calls about flooding incidents and the organisation sent 20 trained officers from across England and Wales to help.
Inspector Ben Strangwood, who has coordinated the response, said it was a 'huge challenge' because flooding affected such a large area.
'Although the water levels are receding in some areas, elsewhere the water levels are expected to remain quite high which is leaving many roads inaccessible,' he said.
'It is extremely difficult to get around to where we need to be.
A donkey which became stranded in flood waters after escaping from its stable in Killorglin, Co Kerry, Ireland, managed to be saved after a rower came to its rescue. The donkey was pulled back to safety using a buoyancy aid and is now recovering in a temporary shelter
A team of rescuers managed to get a rope and buoyancy aid around the terrified donkey before towing the animal back to safety
'We have received a lot of calls, mainly to help people who have had to leave their animals when they have evacuated their homes.
'However, we have also had to contend with extremely dangerous conditions and fast flowing water.'
Elsewhere, a donkey which became stranded in flood waters after escaping from its stable in Killorglin, Co Kerry, Ireland, also managed to be saved after a rower came to its rescue.
The male donkey was discovered stranded in a field, surrounded by deep flood water, after escaping from its stable one evening when the gate was damaged by the stormy weather.
After receiving a call from its concerned owner, Animal Heaven Animal Rescue (AHAR) issued an appeal for help in retrieving the animal - which was answered by Mike Fleming, a member of Killorglin Rowing Club.
A team of rescuers from the animal shelter, assisted by Mr Fleming and his boat, managed to get a rope and buoyancy aid around the terrified donkey before towing the animal to safety.
A spokeswoman for AHAR said the donkey, which has been named Mike after the rescuer, is recovering at the animal shelter while his stable is repaired.
Suzanne Gibbons, founder of the shelter, said: 'He is now dried with towels, eating a hot mash, all cosy and warm and our vet has seen him and started him on antibiotics to prevent pneumonia.
'He has a small bit of fluid in one lung but our vet said he will recover. All he needs is loads of TLC.'


Mike Wilkinson stood on the sandbagged doorstep of his home as water lapped up to the door. Two doors down, his neighbour had been flooded, and further down the terraced street water was up to letterboxes.
He said: 'I went to bed at 4.30am and woke up at 7.30am to this. The water must have moved half a mile inland in three hours. It just started raining heavy on Friday and all day Saturday. Last night it started backing up from the Eden and the Petteril [rivers] it hit Tesco first and backed up and backed up.
'I think the bridge is going to collapse. It's deeper now than it was ten years ago. Last time it did this, every house was a building site for six months. It went on for 12 months before the skips left the streets.'
Rachel Snedker had been house-sitting for her sister when then floods hit. She said: 'She just said: 'Look after the house for a couple of days and don't set anything on fire.' Instead we've had a flood.
'We came over at 7.30am just moved the TV and valuables upstairs then came back later and moved absolutely everything.'
An entire Cumbrian village was also left isolated after a flooded river swept away the bridge connecting it to the rest of the county.
Geoff Mawdsley, 49, owner of the Coledale Inn in Braithwaite in the northern Lake District, described a 'raging torrent going into the village' and said a wall of the Coledale High Bridge had simply 'gone'.
'I've driven into the village and there is four to five feet of water in the middle of the village where people would usually be walking around,' he said.
'The river has broken its banks and there is debris all over the roads. You can't go any further or it would just smash your car up.
'Both bridges are now unusable, and we can only hope they won't be condemned on Monday as that will destroy our business. Residents in the village are sharing rooms with people who have been flooded out and we are trying to put people up as well. We will be open all night.
The thoughts of the whole country will be with the people in Cumbria and the North West who have suffered so terribly from the devastating storms. The Government is doing everything it can to help those who have seen their homes flooded - and to try and prevent further damage Prime Minister David Cameron 'It's a shame that it's so close to Christmas but we are bearing up. You've just got to knuckle down.' 
Police are now warning residents who have already been evacuated in the Cumbria region not to return to their flooded homes as conditions are still 'dangerous'.
A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: 'It is essential that residents of flooded homes do not return to their properties unless instructed to do so as you are putting yourself in danger as many of the flooded properties will be dark and without electricity.
'Cumbria Police would like to ask the public whose house are not affected by floodwater to stay indoors, to ensure your own safety and that of other members of the public and the emergency services.
'We would urge the public to look out for any vulnerable family/friends and neighbours.' 
Cumbria Police also confirmed in its statement that three bridges in the county have been 'washed away' by the floods - including the B5295 bridge at Braithwaite, Fitz Footbridge in Keswick, and Pooley Bridge in the Eden District.















More remain closed or damaged and officers are reminding people to completely avoid bridges that are underwater until they have been checked and made safe as they pose a 'danger to life'.
It came as Carlisle United Football Club offered their senior and youth squads to help anyone who has fallen victim to flooding in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders.
The League Two club, which saw a 5-0 victory over Welling Town in the FA cup second round yesterday, said the team would help with 'anything that is needed'.
The club, which has seen its own ground - Brunton Park - left under water by the flooding, wrote on Twitter: 'Just speaking to club captain Danny Grainger on the team bus.
'A lot of concern from the lads about all those affected by this weekend's events up in Cumbria and the Borders. Every member of the squad has agreed that they want to help, if at all possible.
'So, they have spoken to manager Kieth Curle, and it has been agreed that we will all be available, after training on Tuesday, to help out in any way possible.
'Clearing furniture, cleaning, tidying ‒ anything that is needed and that will help. Contact us on media@carlisleunited.co.uk if you think the lads can help you with your situation.'
They then added: 'Academy manager Alan Moore has just been in touch ‒ our U18 side will be joining the first team squad to help the community on Tuesday.'
Carlisle skipper Grainger also wrote: 'Anyone affected by the Cumbria floods and need help with anything at all please get in touch and some of the squad can come and help anyone.'
The city remains one of the most severely affected areas and rescue helicopters and boats were called in over the weekend to reach those stranded by the rising floodwater.
Around 350 army personnel, two vehicles and a Chinook helicopter were made available from 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment to assist with the flooding and evacuating residents in streets where cars were almost entirely submerged. 

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FAMILY OF SIX WERE PLUCKED TO SAFETY IN DRAMATIC HELICOPTER RESCUE AFTER STORM DESMOND HIT This is the dramatic moment a family of six were winched to safety from their flooded home when Storm Desmond battered Wales. 
The clip - taken by rescuers from the coastguard - shows the view from the helicopter as it hovers over their house as water gushes around it. 
A member of the family dangles on the end of a line as they are slowly winched to safety one by one in the rescue in North Wales. 
The devastating scene is only made visible when a searchlight is pointed into the darkness.  
A spokeswoman from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: 'The Coastguard search and rescue helicopter crew from Caernarfon in North Wales were involved for eight hours in the area assisting the other emergency services with a number of different incidents including this rescue of a family of six from their flooded home.'
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A family of six are winched to safety one by one in a dramatic rescue after Storm Desmond battered Wales
Clean water supplies are also an issue as United Utilities confirmed that a number of treatment works and water mains across Cumbria have been affected by the heavy rain, including Keswick, Borrowdale Valley, Langwathby, Lancaster and Carlisle.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs minister Rory Stewart, who is also the Tory MP for Penrith and the Border, said flooding in his constituency has been 'the worst that anybody's experienced' and acknowledged water had 'overtopped' existing flood defences.
He told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend that, in the face of record rainfall in the area prompting a 'very, very serious response' from the fire and rescue service, mountain rescue, the police and the army, people in the area had shown 'incredible community spirit'. 
Cumbria Police, HM Coastguard and Mountain Rescue Teams all scrambled to evacuate residents in various locations across Carlisle as the floodwater rose to waist-length.
Mark Christie of Cumbria Police was one of the heroes of the night when he carried an elderly woman to safety in his arms after her home was flooded.
Vehicles struggled through the floodwater and parked cars could been seen submerged in water.
Marie Bragshaw and her dog Meg had a lucky escape as they were evacuated out of the street on a boat from HM Coastguard, which earned her rescuer a hug and kiss when they reached safe ground. 

Rain continued to fall overnight in Scotland, https://pinfaves.com/jamie-park-weight-loss/ northern England and northern parts of Wales, and is likely to continue for a few hours yet, forecasters said. Some areas have already seen more than a month's worth of rain over the last 24 hours.
The deluge left streets lined with terraced houses looking more like rivers as rescue teams set off in rubber dinghies to help stranded locals. Many remain underwater, while some have been left covered in mud and debris.
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Cobra meeting: Prime Minister David Cameron said the Government is doing all it can to help communities caught up in the devastation
AN IRISH REPORTER IS BATTERED WITH WIND AND RAIN FROM STORM DESMOND DURING A LIVE BROADCAST  Broadcaster Teresa Mannion braved the elements on the Six One News in Ireland as she gave a news report on Storm Desmond. 
In the live report from Galway, which has now gone viral, she was battered with heavy wind and rain.

RTE, Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster, tweeted the video afterwards, saying: 'RTE News' Teresa Mannion's heroic Storm Desmond report has gone viral and it's easy to see why.'
Teresa told RTE Ten afterwards that she has been blown away by the response to the video.
In the report, she said: 'I cannot repeat the advice often enough from the gardai.
'Don't make unnecessary journeys, don't take risks on treacherous roads. And don't swim in the sea.
'Incredibly people have been spotted in the water here in Blackrock in Salthill.'
Broadcaster Teresa Mannion braved the elements on the Six One News in Ireland as she gave a news report on Storm Desmond
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The British Red Cross teams have set up rest centres in Keswick, Appleby and Kendal, while medical groups issued an urgent call to draft in extra doctors amid fears the storm could cause casualties.
Adrian Holme, from Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, told the BBC the flood was 'unprecedented' and 'exceptionally challenging' as more than 100 people were evacuated from Keswick.
Power supplies were also seriously affected and at least 55,000 homes in Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth faced the prospect of power cuts for a number of days after flood defences protecting a major substation were breached overnight. 
A fire and rescue crew had to save a member of the public who was found clinging to a tree after they tried to reach a horse stranded in a flooded field in Northumberland, while fire services in Lancashire responded to more than 300 calls for help, including road traffic collisions and two fires.
In the south of Scotland, hundreds of homes were also evacuated as Storm Desmond burst river banks across the country.
A rare red weather warning covered Dumfries, Lothian and the Borders until the early hours of Sunday with heavy rain due to continue.
Dumfries and Galloway Council described the situation as a 'major emergency' and said it was preparing for flooding similar to that which hit the region in 2009.
More than 100mm of rain has fallen in the region since Friday, according to Met Office figures.
Red Cross volunteers were called out to set up and run a rest centre for people evacuated from their flood-threatened homes in Hawick.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has more than 70 flood warnings in place across the country, with the most severe warnings in place for Hawick and Newcastleton.
Homes close to the River Esk in Langholm were also evacuated on Saturday night as water breached the bank, while flooding has also been reported in some areas of Annandale and Eskdale including Wamphray, Cummertrees and Hoddom.
The River Tay in Perth is expected to reach its highest level for more than a decade and other rivers are at risk of bursting their banks.
  Waterfall which has been dry for 200 years starts to flow again after heavy rains - making it the largest in the UK at 200ft
A waterfall which has been dry for hundreds of years has been brought back to life by Storm Desmond.
Malham Cove has been reignited by heavy rainfall over the weekend and at 200ft is now believed to be the highest unbroken waterfall in England.
It hasn't flowed for centuries but the stream of water is now back at Malham Cove, a formidable high limestone cliff formation just outside the village of Malham, North Yorkshire.
Before storms tore through, the tallest unbroken waterfall in England was Hardraw Force, about 27 miles away from the cove, which stands at around 100ft. 
Malham Cove has been reignited by heavy rainfall over the weekend and is now believed to be the highest unbroken waterfall in England
It hasn't flowed for centuries but the stream of water is now back at Malham Cove, a formidable high limestone cliff formation just outside the village of Malham, North Yorkshire 
Aerial view: It is believed that it is the first time in several hundred years that water has surged over the cliffs of Malham Cove (pictured)
It is believed that it is the first time in several hundred years that water has surged over the cliffs of Malham Cove.
The beauty spot is a large, curved limestone cliff at the head of a valley, with a fine area of limestone pavement at the top.
The cove was featured in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1) as one of the places Hermione and Harry travel to.
And the limestone pavement and general location of Malham featured in an episode of The Trip starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon.
Martin Davies, general manager of the National Trust Malham Tarn Estate, said the waterfall may have already finished flowing but could possibly start again if there is heavy rainfall on Wednesday.
He explained that Malham Cove sits at the bottom of Watlowes Dry Valley which is a meltwater, a glacial overflow channel.
The beauty spot is a large, curved limestone cliff at the head of a valley, with a fine area of limestone pavement at the top (pictured)
Popular: The cove was featured in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1) as one of the places Hermione and Harry travel to
Martin Davies, general manager of the National Trust Malham Tarn Estate, explained that Malham Cove sits at the bottom of Watlowes Dry Valley which is a meltwater, a glacial overflow channel
The limestone pavement and general location of Malham also featured in an episode of The Trip starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon
He said: 'Limestone is pretty porous and so water is absorbed into the ground fairly rapidly, and there is a large cave system as well.
'But once the caves fill up with water then water stops being absorbed by the limestone after travelling through the soil and instead travels on the top of it.'
He added: 'I would imagine the waterfall has probably stopped by now but could be back flowing again on Wednesday when further heavy rainfall is expected.'
Graham Telford checked into the Malham Cove Rock Climbing Facebook page this morning and added a picture of the limestone formation without the waterfall.
Along with the photo he wrote: 'All dried up, worth a nosey though.'
  Incredible video shows waterfall in the Peak District being blown BACKWARDS in 50mph winds as Storm Desmond batters the UK
By Katie Louise Davies for MailOnline 
A waterfall appeared to defy gravity when - instead of gushing down - it flowed upwards towards the sky as 50mph winds battered the Peak District. 
Incredible footage captures the moment water sprayed backwards up hills in Kinder Scout in strong winds. 
Severe gales and rain hit the Peak District as Storm Desmond wrecked havoc across parts of Cumbria and Northern Scotland.
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