STRONG winds and high tides combined leading to waves over topping at exposed coastal locations this afternoon.

Areas affected included Canal Foot in Ulverston, Sandside and Arnside.

Earlier this morning the Environment Agency issued a flood warning, which means immediate action is required, for the Cumbrian coastline and parts of North Lancashire.

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High tide hit the region between 12.30pm and 1.30pm with many coastal areas being affected.

Staff at the Bay Horse, at Canal Foot, stacked dozens of sandbags at their doors in an effort to keep the water out.

A car was pushed to safety by the coastguard after getting stuck in a foot of water in Sandside.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron was at Arnside with SLDC council leader Peter Thornton to help clear up debris left behind by the surge.

Mr Farron praised the agencies involved in warning the public.

"They do an outstanding job," he said. "They protect life and limb and property.

"It seems as though we have escaped with relatively little damage but we will keep a close eye on what the weekend brings."

Cumbria Police, along with partner agencies, have warned people not to go near harbours, promenades, coastal and exposed areas for their own safety.

Parents should warn their children not to go near any coastal area, it added.

South Lakeland District Council warned yesterday (Thursday) that the last time there was a potential coastal incident on this scale was in 2002 when 65 properties were affected.

On that occasion areas at Canal Foot South, Next Ness, Roosebeck, Ulverston, and East Plain Farm, Flookburgh, were flooded.

Shops and residences on the seafront in Arnside and Sandside were also affected.

Residents who require sandbags can collect them from the South Lakeland District Council's South Ulverston Depot, North Lonsdale Road, Kendal Depot, Ecclerigg Depot, Troutbeck and from both Storth and Arnside village halls.

However, Simon Reynolds, the Communications Manager for SLDC, said the council could not deliver sandbags to hard-to-reach groups like elderly people, or those with disabilities or non-drivers.  He said the council had a stock of 1,000 sandbags at each depot.

In a statement he said: "The County Council is the statutory responsible body for flooding related matters along with the Environment Agency and they have information about any actions they are putting in place at the current time.

"For a number of years SLDC has not arranged delivery of sandbags to individual properties or locations outside of the depots because of limited resources. Additionally the stocks cannot be easily controlled as they can in the depots when they are delivered to roadside or other locations.

"In addition to providing sandbags for collection at depots in Kendal, Ulverston and Ecclerigg we have today (Friday) also provided sandbags at Arnside and Storth Village Halls. We maintain a limited stock of 1000 sandbags at each of our three main depots and most of these are provided by the Environment Agency.

The council continues to support the respective flood action groups across the district  to become more resilient but we do not provide direct financial support or resources to these groups."Both the Flookburgh-based Bay Search and Rescue and Ulverston Inshore Rescue have been placed on standby to deal with any incidents.

In 2002 severe weather affected 65 coastal properties and yesterday SLDC warned that today's, and this weekend's weather, could match that.

Find out more by visiting www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx or call their Floodline for advice and information on 0845 988 1188.

If you see the roads in your area starting to flood with a build-up of surface water, contact Cumbria County Council’s Highways Hotline on 0845 609 6609 or email highways@cumbria.gov.uk.

Keep up-to-date with the weather at www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings/#?tab=map.

Practical tips and health advice is available at www.gov.uk/government/news/flooding-advice-to-the-public.

 

* If you know of any flooding incidents, contact reporter Tom Murphy on 01539 71054 or email tom.murphy@kendal.newsquest.co.uk