Speaking to the BBC, Westmorland Lib Dem MP Tim Farron suggested a novel approach to helping those left homeless by the floods.

He said: "The council are doing everything they can - doing a very good job actually of rehousing people. 

"We have a shopping centre with a few empty units here which are helping businesses relocate. 

"We've got a lot of second home owners who have second homes in the Lake District who may be listening to this programme. If that's you, please volunteer your second home. 

"We will use it to house a family over Christmas."

This picture shows people desperately trying to get back to normal after the floods. Sometimes a cup of tea seems like the best option...

Image source, Getty Images

Martin Lewes
Reporter

Householders have been clearing out the damaged furniture Ann Street, one of the worst hit areas.  

Police say they've now recovered the body of a man found earlier in the River Kent near Kendal.

They'd been looking for an elderly man who'd been seen falling into the flooded river yesterday morning.

Volunteers from the RNLI’s Flood Rescue Team worked through the night over the weekend to help people trapped in their homes by floodwater.

A spokesman said one of the team’s most difficult tasks was the rescue of six people and their two dogs from a remote bungalow in the Levens area.

The people, including a pregnant woman and two children, had been stranded for 12 hours and were using flash lights to signal for help. 

Image source, RNLI/Callum Robinson

The Environment Agency has increased its estimate of the total number of flooded homes in Cumbria and Lancashire to 5,200.

The new figure is based on direct reports and modelling of the impact of the flooding over the past few days.

The previous record stood for 44 years and related to a thunderstorm at Martinstown in Dorset in July 1955.

BBC Radio Cumbria

Pastor Andy Fearon, from the Vineyard church in Carlisle, praised the public's response to the disaster.

"We live in an incredible city," he said. 

"We've seen the floods cause incredible devastation and absolute heartache and it's an emotional time for a lot of people.

"But at the same time, we see an incredible generous city as well."

Here's more pictures of rescuers helping residents to safety yesterday after Storm Desmond tore through the county.

Image source, PA

Image source, PA

BBC Radio 4

Cumbria County Council leader Stewart Young told the Today programme: "There does need to be an investigation into the flood defences.

"I will be talking to our local MPs later today and if the Environment Agency needs to revisit them then that's what's going to have to happen because we can't continue to have events like this in Cumbria, we just won't be able to cope."

As parts of the UK again deal with severe flooding after a winter storm, questions are being asked about how flooding can be prevented or alleviated.

Here are some of the main methods and principles in use.

Image source, Getty Images

Schools, hospital services and travel have been disrupted after Storm Desmond brought winds, torrential rain and flooding to parts of the UK. 

More than 2,500 homes are without power in Cumbria, where rescue workers are spending a third day evacuating people from flooded homes.

See the latest aerial footage here.

This is Carlisle Civic Centre, the headquarters of the city council. 

BBC Radio Cumbria reporter Lee Macualay took the picture and says a number of people were looking at this view "in awe".

Martin Lewes
Reporter

Westmorland and Lonsdale Lib Dem MP Tim Farron has praised the emergency services for their work helping people caught in the floods. 

Modesty prevents us from saying he mentioned us too...

Gerry Jackson
BBC Look North

Locals believe the damage would have been much worse without these flood barriers in Cockermouth.

There are still 2,657 homes in Cumbria and 300 in Lancaster without power, Electricity North West says.

About 60,000 customers have been reconnected after floodwater breached flood defences at the main substation. More than 60 generators have been delivered to key sites.  Flood defences at Kendal and Carlisle substations have held, protecting supplies to 110,000 homes. The homes without power are:

• Fusehill area of Carlisle - 1734
• Cockermouth - 218
• James Street area of Carlisle - 204
• Appleby - 161
• Willowholme area of Carlisle - 159
• Grizedale - 75
• Mintsfeet area of Kendal - 72
• Melling - 22
• Ravenstone - 10
• Braithwaite - 2