Cumbria no longer in drought after five months

Jubilee Bridge in Appleby was impassable due to flooding last week

Cumbria is no longer in a drought, according to the Environment Agency (EA).

The county was given the status on 21 May and remained in drought for more than five months until 29 October, the governmental body said.

The drought was declared across north-west England after rainfall between February and April was the third lowest on record in the region since 1871.

But the EA said total rainfall in Cumbria and northern Lancashire over the past three and six months had been "normal to exceptionally high".

It said western parts of Cumbria had seen the most rainfall in this period.

Last week, several people were rescued from their homes and vehicles as heavy rain caused flooding across the region.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said one person was taken to hospital from a flooded house in Irthington.

It also said a man was rescued from a van trapped near Bolton New Houses, another from a car near Wetheral and two people were trapped in a car near Aspatria.

Roads were submerged in Thursby last week

Dr Gemma Coxon at the University of Bristol previously told the BBC that north-west England was particularly susceptible to water supply issues during periods of low rainfall.

This is because it has fewer groundwater aquifers than other parts of the country such as the South East, she said.

Aquifers act like "big sponges" which sit under the soil and soak up rainfall then slowly release it, she explained.

With fewer of these, river levels in the North West can drop more quickly during dry spells.