'My house has flooded twice in the last 18 months'

Claire Wheeler says she has never seen anything like the flooding in Cumbria in recent days

A woman has said her home has been flooded for the second time in about 18 months, in the worst weather she has seen in almost 50 years of living in her village.

Claire Wheeler, who lives in Thursby, near Carlisle, said she was "completely unaware" of the heavy rainfall and flooding in the area until she woke on Thursday morning to find her garden was "completely underwater".

She said the water had also flooded the ground floor of her house, which had also happened during flooding in the area last May.

"I've been here nearly 50 years, and I've never before seen anything like this," Ms Wheeler told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"This is dirtier this year, it's really dirty water."

She said Cumberland Council staff had come to unplug the drains near her house, which had "been a problem", as well as to drop off sandbags.

"I do report [the drains] regularly," she said.

Ms Wheeler said while she believed the house itself was undamaged, her carpets, furniture and other belongings were not so lucky.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service came to the aid of five people trapped by flood water in separate call-outs across the county on Thursday.

Cumbria Police temporarily shut a northbound section of the M6 motorway between junctions 41 and 42, while the A595 near Wigton and roads in Carlisle also faced closures.

A coordination group, made up of emergency services and government agencies, said the worst of the rain had cleared but travel disruptions were set to continue into Friday.

The group's chair, Ch Supt Carl Patrick from Cumbria Police, said: "If you are travelling, please take care.

"If you do come across a flooded road, please do not attempt to travel through as you cannot be sure of the water's depth."