Sheep 'swept away' during Borrowdale flash flooding

The flash flooding also blocked roads

Dozens of sheep are thought to have died during flash flooding in a Lake District valley.

The flooding was caused by heavy rain on Friday in Borrowdale, which a local hotel owner said led to water rising faster than he had ever seen before.

He said there was no warning and farmers were left unable to do a thing to help as sheep were swept away.

The water later receded but Met Office figures show 97.2mm of rain fell at Seathwaite and 93.6mm at Honister.

Floodwater reached the height of some dry stone walls

Nigel Dixon, who runs Seatoller House, a hotel at the foot of Honister Pass said: "The amount of water that came down in an hour... it was unreal.

"I went to the door and was literally about 30 seconds away from flood water entering the hotel. I managed to get flood boards and sandbags out pretty quick."

He added: "I witnessed sheep just basically being swept away and farmers just helpless, they couldn't do a thing, they couldn't help.

"My neighbour lost 58 sheep in the final toll, it's heart-breaking really."