Danny Grainger leads Carlisle efforts to help with Storm Desmond clean up

After the country was battered by storms and heavy rain over the weekend which saw the army called in to help those affected, Britain’s Environment Agency said more than 80 flood warnings remained in place on Monday, 46 of which were severe.

The Government has held a COBRA meeting to discuss the situation, and is expected to confirm a United Kingdom record rainfall over 24 hours following the storm.

A cold front will move across the Isles on Tuesday bringing showers to eastern areas and lengthier spells of rain from western Scotland to Wales and western England.

Cumbria Police also launched a search following reports of an elderly man falling into a swollen River Kent in Kendal.

At least one person has died: A 90-year-old man whom the BBC says may have been blown in front of a bus by the storm’s strong winds.

The Environment Agency issued 180 flood warnings to towns where water levels were dangerously high.

“We are asking people who do go out to take care especially if they go near rivers because there is a lot of flooding in some areas, particularly Cumbria where there could be up to 12 inches in some areas”.

The North West was badly hit. It is important people continue to heed the advice of the emergency services.

The Cumbria Partnership Foundation Partnership has said it will be running only essential services and more information is available via the website.

“The number of flooded properties is still being assessed at this moment as the water recedes, the indications are that in Cumbria we have the following number of properties that have been flooded. That’s an extra £2.3 billion of capital investment to help our most at-risk communities”.

Environment Secretary Liz Truss said: “What our priority is now is to get the power up and running – a number of homes have been connected this morning – and also get transport infrastructure sorted out – roads and the rail – to get things back to normal as soon as possible”.

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.