GORDON Brown has pledged an extra £1 million of Government money to help flood-hit communities in Cumbria.
The Prime Minister announced the funding on a visit to the area, where he met with rescue workers and residents evacuated from their homes after the record-breaking rainfall.
The emergency services were advising people not to return to their houses yet, as forecasters predicted fresh downpours.
The Prime Minister, during a two-hour visit to Cockermouth, met representatives from the emergency services and local people who had been evacuated from their homes and were staying in shelters.
He also toured the devastated centre of the town, which is now strewn with debris from floods, with cars coming to rest against trees from the force of the torrents, shop windows smashed and inches of sludge and silt covering the road.
He announced the government will match the £1m in aid already given by the North West Development Agency.
Mr Brown said: “I have decided we will increase the amount of resources to the community.
“We will match the regional development agency money, to help local businesses, homeowners and tenants, making that £2 million.
“We will give an extra £1 million so immediate support can be given.
“We will do everything we can to support the local community in its hour of need.
“We are going to remain committed, to do everything we can to help local people here.
“I have met people in the centre I have just visited showing great community spirit.
“A community is a thousand acts of kindness and friendship for each other. It is making me very, very proud of this community
“The emergency services have worked brilliantly, right across the board.
“This happened with such rapidity, as everybody has been explaining this morning, they looked around and levels were low and suddenly they have gone so high.”
He again paid tribute to father-of-four Pc Barker who lost his life when the bridge was swept away in Workington.
“The whole community is devastated by the loss of his life and he will be remembered as a hero.”
Earlier Mr Brown met flooded-out residents taking shelter at the Shepherd’s Hotel in Cockermouth, now a reception centre for those who cannot go back to their homes.
He shook hands and chatted with locals, some of whom have lost everything in the deluge - but are thankful just to be alive.
Ann Burns, 76, who has spent two nights at the centre, said she welcomed the Prime Minister’s visit.
“He tries, I’ll give him that. We all need a bit of a lift. I’m going back to nowt.
“I was one of the first ones evacuated and taken here, I hardly know what day it is. I’m not bothered, I’m still breathing.”
Doris Studholme, 88, said: “This is the second time I have been flooded out, in 2005 I was out for six months. This time its hopeless. I don’t know when I will get back home.
“I’ve lost everything again. Last time they had to carry me out, this time they came quickly and got us out before the flood.
“But I’ve got family and the people here could not do any more for us, they’re fantastic.”
The Prime Minister told her: “I think because of what happened in Carlisle people have been ready and moved quickly.
“You’re gratitude is a big help to everybody.”
Scotswoman Beth Pearson, 88, who was born in Kirkcaldy, Mr Brown’s constituency, before moving to England said: “The social services and all the emergency agencies, police, fire service, everyone, they all responded so quickly.
“I was at home and lights went out and then they came to evacuate us.
“I was dressed and off and in an ambulance and brought to here.”
The retired teacher added: “I thanked Mr Brown, he deserves all the praise he can get for coming here. I told him all the best for next year.”
“The whole community is devastated by the loss of his life and he will be remembered as a hero.”
