More than 170 engineers, including inspectors and meter operators from electricity suppliers, have been carrying out door-to-door safety checks on equipment to safely restore power to the remaining properties.

A small number of properties are still flooded or the damage is so bad that they will be uninhabitable for months and electricity cannot be restored safely at this time. A number of home owners will also need to arrange for domestic electricians to carry out internal wiring checks for safety before they can be put back on mains supply.

Flood defences at Carlisle and Kendal's main electricity substations protected power supplies to 110,000 properties, however a number or smaller substations and many properties were flooded. Electricity North West has now completed repairs at all it sites and will complete the majority of door-to-door inspections today.

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.

“We have completed all the repair work at our substations and we’ve worked day and night to visit properties and get the remaining few customers back on where it is safe and possible.

“I’d like to thank customers for their continued understanding and goodwill this week, we know this has been a very trying time for everyone involved and the support we have received has been incredible.”

Customers can follow @ElectricityNW on Twitter or call Electricity North West on 0800 195 4141 for further information.