Press Association

Chill to hamper work in flood areas

Snow and plunging temperatures could throw recovery efforts in flood-ravaged Cumbria into chaos, forecasters have warned.

Temperatures across Britain are set to plunge as low as -5C (23F) over the next two days before Northern England and Scotland is hit by a potential blanket of snow.

The warning comes after the Environment Agency issued 20 flood warnings when heavy rain caused flash floods in parts of England, including Devon where water levels rose as high as four feet.

John Hutchinson, forecaster for MeteoGroup UK, the weather arm of the Press Association, said the main threats for the days ahead were low temperatures before a wet weather front arrives from the Atlantic.

He said: "The heavy bursts of rain were dying away tonight but a cold weather front across the UK will see temperatures as low as -5C tomorrow. It will be unpleasant in parts."

Among the areas set to be hit by as much as 3-5cm of snow could be areas around Cockermouth, which was submerged just over a week ago following more than 12 inches of rainfall in 24 hours.

The Prince of Wales visited the area on Saturday to boost morale during the lengthy ordeal for locals cleaning up their homes and getting their lives back in order.

Army engineers have begun building the foundations of a footbridge to reconnect the two halves of Workington.

Householders in the Northside area of Workington currently face long detours to be able to get to the town centre or local schools and supermarkets.

While the foundations are being laid soldiers of 3 Armoured Engineer Squadron (part of Tidworth-based 22 Engineer Regiment) are constructing a 110-ton, 167ft (51m) bridge at a holding area at Halton military training camp, near Lancaster.