Minister to visit flood hit communities in North West

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills says more funding will be made available for the estimated 2,500 firms on either side of the Pennines left flooded by the Boxing Day deluge in the north of England.

The £6 million package adds to the £5 million already announced by the government to help businesses in Lancashire and Cumbria affected by Storm Desmond earlier in December.

The minister is due to visit Croston in Lancashire later today to see how businesses are coping with the challenge of getting back up and running. Anna Soubry will visit Fresco an Italian restaurant and The Wheatsheaf pub to meet people affected by the floods.