RESIDENTS have spoken of their relief after flood water stopped only inches short of entering their homes.

A downpour on Saturday morning led to water spilling out of drains and on to streets in Millom.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to pump water away and authorities provided sandbags to residents most at risk.

It is the third time the town has experience flooding in the past three years.

Devastating floods in 2017 were followed by a near miss in 2018 when homeowners narrowly escaped water seeping in following heavy rainfall.

Joan Newton, of Mainsgate Road, used a water pump she had bought herself following previous floods.

The 63-year-old said: "My daughter woke me up just before 6am saying the street was flooding.

"It came so close to coming in the house.

"The 2017 floods affected us so badly, we lost everything and every time it rain's heavily we worry it could happen again."

Mrs Newton spent around £50,000 repairing her home after those floods.

Tina Rodgers, 47, who also lives on the street, said: It's a big relief that it didn't make it into the house.

"But around here we always worry whenever there is heavy rain."

Copeland MP Trudy Harrison said she would appeal to flooding minister Therese Coffey today to move forward and ensure more flooding does not occur.

She said: "As far as I can see this problem has been manmade and we need to make sure this doesn't happen again.

"Surely it's not beyond the wit of man or technology to employ a risk assessment. There are houses being flooded time and time again that can't get insurance. This burden is unacceptable."