Clean-up begins in Cumbria amid concerns of further flooding over Christmas

Video report by ITV News Correspondent Peter Smith.

Residents in Cumbria are beginning the clean-up after being hit by flooding for a third time in just over a fortnight as Storm Eva is forecast to batter the region again over Christmas.

Heavy rain and winds of up to 70mph are forecast from Christmas Eve, prompting fears of further flooding.

The Environment Agency has issued 24 flood warnings and 67 flood alerts for North West and North East England and Yorkshire and Humberside.

Appleby, Carlisle, Kendal and Keswick in Cumbria are all on alert.

It comes after more rain lashed Cumbria on Tuesday, causing further flooding to homes just weeks after the region was hit by Storm Desmond.

Firefighters were called out to rescue residents stranded by the fresh flooding, including a 70-year-old woman.

The River Eden burst its banks in Appleby for the second time this month, with main roads submerged in the deluge and the temporary closure of the bridge at the heart of the town.

The River Eden breaks its banks again flooding Appleby. Credit: PA

Further south in the county the village of Glenridding, left completely cut off earlier this month, locals were again sandbagging doorways as floods hit again.

The owners of the Glenridding Hotel, now shut until the New Year, posted on their Facebook page that they were "feeling defeated" and "please no more rain" after the latest flooding - the third they had suffered in as many weeks.