Cumbria flooding: Families face 'ruined Christmas' as region is flooded for third time

Hundreds of people in Cumbria were forced out of their homes by floods following record rainfall earlier this month

The River Eden flooding Appleby, as flooding is hitting parts of Cumbria again while the county is lashed by more heavy rain (PA)

Families in Cumbria are struggling to make the best of Christmas as parts of the region have been flooded for the third time in three weeks.

The village of Glenridding has been flooded for the third time and Appleby-in-Westmorland for a second time after rivers once again burst their banks today. Keswick’s Greta Bridge has also been closed due to rising water levels.

Repeated flooding has forced the closure of the Glenridding Hotel (Selina Ali/The Glenridding Hotel/PA Wire)

The Environment Agency issued 14 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 17 flood alerts on the Kent, Greta, Eden and Eamont rivers as heavy rain lashed the region.

It comes after hundreds of people were forced out of their homes by floods following record rainfall earlier this month. Further storms are expected to hit Cumbria on Christmas Eve.

Neil Atkinson, who owns a garage in Glenridding which has been flooded again, told The Independent: “Everyone has been putting sandbags in front of their doors again. It has ruined Christmas. It’s terrible. We're having it bad, but we’ve just got to get on with it.”

Elizabeth Ali, the manager of the Glenridding Hotel, which has now been forced to shut until the new year, said she was “feeling defeated” after water poured into the kitchen and bar again.

“The fire brigade are on their way to help pump out the water,” she told well-wishers on social media. “We are currently under 2ft of water. We just need to smile and carry on.”

Around 20 bridges across the region remain closed after they collapsed or were damaged by Storm Desmond – making it harder for people to reach their loved ones this Christmas.

Prince Charles visited Carlisle, one of the worst hit areas, on Monday and knocked on doors to see how families are coping before meeting emergency crews who rescued flood victims.

The Salvation Army has been offering support including food and furniture since Storm Desmond struck earlier this month. In the first 48 hours, it distributed 2,000 drinks and 50 loaves for sandwiches in Carlisle.

Major Denis Lomax, the Salvation Army’s northern division leader, said: “As we continue with our Christmas preparations, our thoughts and prayers remain with those affected by the flooding and we are offering our continued support in the days ahead.”

An Environment Agency spokesman said the latest rainfall fell on saturated grounds and with river levels already high.

He said: “There is currently the possibility of further unsettled weather during the festive period, which could lead to some disruption in the North of England. We are monitoring the situation closely.”