Torrential rain over Cumbria sets national record

Devastating rainfall over Cumbria in the last 36 hours reached record and "historical" levels for the country.

Severe flooding in the county was driven by a combination of heavy rainfall, saturated ground and swollen rivers.

The Environment Agency said its gauging station at Seawaite Farm recorded 314.4mm (12.3 inches) in 24 hours up to 00.45am - a record for England.

Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith was in Cockermouth this morning.

He said: "This is an extremely serious incident - our thoughts are with those people whose homes have been flooded.

"We have seen unprecedented rainfall, with what we believe is a record amount for a 24-hour period in England."

The Environment Agency Floodline service has received more than 12,000 calls from members of the public over the last 48 hours and issued more than 43,000 flood alerts via phone, text, email and fax.

Julian Mayes, a forecaster with MeteoGroup UK, the weather division of the Press Association, said the rainfall was a "historical event".

Mr Mayes said the levels of rain in Cumbria were equivalent to five or six months of rainfall typically experienced over London and the south east of England.

"The fact that there's eight feet of water in some places is not that surprising," he said.

"Primarily, it's the sheer quantity in the last 36 hours that has caused the flooding.

"But in November the ground is saturated. The rain can't get into the soil, it just runs off.

"That means rivers rise very quickly and suddenly."

Mr Mayes said the river levels across Cumbria should stabilise throughout the day.

He said: "The good thing is river levels fall quickly. Rivers will be stabilising.

"The rest of the day shouldn't pose any problems. The system causing this weather has cleared away."