Rivers burst their banks as torrential rain and floods batter the North

Cockermouth in Cumbria was battered by the floods (Picture: PA/SWNS)

Shocking footage shows the moment rivers in Cumbria burst their banks after torrential downpours.

Weather warnings remain in force across Scotland and northern England tonight as forecasters urge people to brace themselves for more floods.

An amber alert for heavy rain covering Cumbria is in force until 11.59pm, while a yellow rain alert stretching across Yorkshire and the Humber kicks in from midnight until 3pm tomorrow.

The south-west of England and Wales are also under similar yellow warnings.

Joseph Hill, who lives in Cockermouth, Cumbria, filmed the River Cocker bursting its banks.

He said: ‘I was shocked at the speed the river had risen since the night before, and very concerned as our barn that we’re renovating is entirely flooded and unreachable to assess any damage.

‘The power of the river shouldn’t be underestimated. Everything was ok until it suddenly wasn’t.

‘The flood defences were working well but once they failed everything was underwater in a matter of minutes.’

High water levels in Cockermouth, Cumbria, where the Met office has warned of life-threatening floods (Picture: PA)

At 9am, the Met Office said 332mm of rain had been recorded at Honister Pass in Cumbria over the past 32 hours.

Cumbria and South Lakes Police warned some roads were impassable and urged people not to take unnecessary risks.

Throughout the bad weather, the Cockermouth Emergency Response Group has been keeping people updated on the unfolding situation.

It said the River Derwent was expected to peak at 3.5m by this afternoon.

Issuing a more detailed update, it said: ‘The incessant rain that has affected Cumbria over the past 30 hours (300mm+ already observed at Honister Pass in W Cumbria) has resulted in a number of surface water impacts to the road network though, thus far, property flooding has been mercifully low.

‘Some of the main rivers appear now to be peaking and with the rain band forecast to gradually weaken/fragment through this afternoon, the picture across the county is expected to slowly improve as the day wears on.’

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