ELECTRICITY North West has cancelled a number of planned network maintenance jobs to focus on repairing damage caused by Storm Clodagh.

Engineers have restored power to more than 10,000 homes across the region since yesterday afternoon and have been out again from first light to continue restoring the 500 remaining properties.

The severe weather, which followed a Met Office yellow weather warning for wind in the region, caused a number of faults in Cumbria, Lancashire and the Peak District.

At its peak 2,100 homes in South Lakeland were affected.

The power network operator drafted in extra engineers to help restore power in the worst affected areas.

The weathe delayed the restoration effort as in some areas it was unsafe for overhead linesmen to climb poles to restore supplies.