STORM Desmond struck twice for Kendal cake company owner Lisa Smith.

Lisa, 48, of Ginger Bakers, was not only flooded out of her catering kitchen at Dockray Hall Industrial Estate, but also her family home.

She lost 800 Christmas cakes, mince pies and tray bakes worth £10,000, plus around £30,000-worth of equipment such as ovens, fridges, freezers, packaging and ingredients when waist-deep floodwater poured into her business premises in early December

Trade fairs had to be cancelled during the all-important festive trading season.

What's more, the Castle Crescent home that Lisa shares with husband Lee and children Jake, 17, and Nancy, eight, also had to be evacuated.

The situation looked bleak but Aidan Monks, of sourdough bakery Lovingly Artisan, threw Lisa a lifeline by letting her team-of-five share his kitchens.

"Everything in the bakery was gone, other than things like clocks on the wall," said Lisa. "As soon as we were flooded, Aidan contacted me. That was just amazing because we were there within the week and we got going again. It was such a generous gesture.

"Without that, I don't think we would have been able to carry on."

The mum-of-two is immensely grateful to the many other businesses that offered help via email and social media, and to John Geldard, of Plumgarths, where Ginger Bakers is located temporarily. "He has been brilliant."

Lisa applied for, and quickly received, a £5,000 flood recovery grant from Cumbria Growth Hub, which she described as a 'fantastic' help with marketing Ginger Bakers post-flooding.

At home, the family has received a £500 payment and council tax relief from South Lakeland District Council, and they plan to apply for a flood resilience grant for concrete flooring.

As Lisa pursues complex insurance claims, she still does not know when her house and business premises will be habitable. In the meantime, though, she is full of praise for her tight-knit team of staff, and the kindness and loyalty shown by everyone from family to customers and the business community.

"The support and help has been amazing. So many people in Kendal are in the same situation and that's comforting because people understand what you're going through."