Flood defences at Carlisle and Kendal's main electricity substations protected power supplies to 110,000 properties, however a number of smaller substations serving local areas were severely flooded.

There are now fewer than 1,000 properties without power and engineers, along with electricity suppliers and electricians, are carrying out door-to-door checks on electricity equipment before being able to safely restore power.

Mark Williamson, operations director for Electricity North West, said: “This has clearly been an unprecedented weather event, with the most rainfall in 24-hours the UK has ever seen. Our teams have put in the most fantastic effort to repair and replace damaged parts of our network so that we can start providing power to the area again.

"We've called on teams of engineers from across the country to help with the restoration effort and that has helped us get through this mammoth task which we expect to complete by tonight. At that point properties will enter the final stages of being restored."

Once Electricity North West has completed its work at its substations to restore power, the final steps that need to be completed include house-to-house checks on equipment which began yesterday.

Most remaining properties that are still without power are also likely to need private electricians to carry out additional checks to ensure that customers' internal wiring is safe. Some properties will also need new electricity meters to be installed by suppliers.

Owners of flooded properties that are still without power are asked to contact Electricity North West to arrange access as soon as possible on 0800 195 4141.