Heavy Rainfall Leads to Flooding in Ulverston Businesses and Roads

Multiple businesses in a town centre experienced flooding after heavy rain occurred overnight into Monday. It is estimated that at least eight properties in Ulverston, Cumbria, were impacted. Westmorland and Furness Council announced that the A595 at Duddon Bridge, Barrow, was closed due to severe flooding. King Street and areas surrounding the Gill in Ulverston were also affected by closures. Fiona Duke from the Environment Agency (EA) attributed the flooding to rainfall that exceeded expectations and a substantial volume of water in Town Beck. Water levels in Drangley Beck at Fitz Bridge reached a record high of 0.88m on Monday morning. The council reported that the A595 was inundated because a river overflowed its banks. King Street was impacted by a burst watercourse, rendering the vicinity near a school “impassable.” The EA stated that between five and 15 properties in Ulverston had been flooded, and its teams had been engaged in clearing debris since the early hours. Ms Duke remarked: “The rainfall level surpassed our forecast. We’ve had over 50mm of rain over 12 hours, so that’s a significant amount of rainfall in a short period of time.” She further explained, “What this meant was that the water started to raise through manholes and flooded pavements and the road at the junction of Mill Street and King Street.” Westmorland and Furness Council indicated that this period of the year “poses a challenge” as leaves from trees obstruct drains, causing water to accumulate on roads. A spokesperson added, “Heavy rain over a short period of time also overwhelms the capacity of drainage systems causing flooding.” Jenny Spedding, who operates Belle Lueur Bridal Shop, informed BBC Radio Cumbria that she discovered approximately 1-1.5m (3-5ft) of water in her cellar. She stated, “We’ve lost everything that was down there,” which included dresses the shop sold online. Fortunately, she noted, the water did not affect the shop at street level. An employee at the Conti fish and chip shop in Ulverston reported being at the business since 08:00 GMT, attempting to clear out water. Another worker at Ulverston Interiors mentioned that water had “run through” the entire shop. “It’s been quite a nasty experience for a lot of people,” commented Ulverston Town Council leader Mark Wilson. Earlier, police in Barrow advised individuals to avoid making journeys if possible and to “exercise caution” if travel was absolutely necessary. All flood warnings were lifted by 17:00 GMT. Readers can connect with BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding the BBC’s approach to external linking is available.