For too long, Cumbrian communities have been left high and dry - or rather, low and sapping wet - for far too long now.

The county has long had a reputation as one of the wettest in England, and flash flooding is a fairly common occurrence.

But it doesn't take a genius to realise that extreme weather events, such as the 2005 Carlisle flooding, the 2009 Cockermouth floods, Storm Desmond in 2015 and this year's major storms, have increased in regularity.

In the last two weeks, we've had Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis cause chaos on the region's infrastructure and flood homes in the south east of Cumbria.

Add to that, the Met Office has announced that Storm Ellen is forecast to hit the region this weekend.

The cost to the county's economy, in missed working days, deterred tourists and missed appointments must be huge.

Since the devastation of Storm Desmond, what exactly has been done to protect Cumbrians from flooding and travel chaos?

Some may say closed roads and coastal erosion are part and parcel of living in such a rural and isolated county - after all, the beauty of the Lakes is the waters and meres that dot the region.

But there has to be investment in Cumbria's flood defences and infrastructure.