Shopkeeper's business devastated twice in four days by flooding

A shopkeeper has told how his shop was devastated by flooding twice in four days.

Alan Brown, who owns a shop in Glenridding, begged tourists to return in the spring to the Lake District, saying it was the only way businesses would survive.

Mr Brown had to watch last night as his shop flooded for the second time in four days.

It had taken them two days of work to clear the shop, only for it to be flooded again.

Mr Brown, originally from Hertfordshire, has been in Glenridding for 33 years and has been flooded four times.

He said it is the worst flooding he has ever seen.

He said he was at "square one" before correcting himself and saying: "I'm not at square one. It will take me two months to even get to that stage."

Mr Brown has never yet made an insurance claim for any of the flooding damage, but he says this time he is going to have to.

He said: "Tell people to come and help us. Not with shovels or rocks, but to wait until spring and come and visit our towns and support our businesses. That's the only way that we're going to survive."