Stone bridge over the River Derwent is washed away after 12 inches of rain falls in 24 hours

A policeman has drowned in Cumbria after a stone bridge was swept away by floodwater in Cumbria.

More than a foot of rainwater fell on Cockermouth and the surrounding area in only 24 hours.

Rescue teams searching for the officer, PC Bill Barker, 45, found the body of a man in a police uniform this afternoon.

Around 10 other people are believed to be missing. 200 people were evacuated from their homes and 21 schools in the area were closed. Many other people are trapped in their homes.

The RAF sent five Sea King helicopters and two mountain rescue teams. The RNLI said had it rescued 鈥渄ozens of people.鈥�

Fireman were forced to break into a bank on the Main Street in Cockermouth to rescue two women who were trapped after water rose to eight feet.

1,200 people in Cockermouth and 250 in and around Keswick went without power last night.

There are four flood warnings in Cumbria. Meanwhile, floods are affecting the rest of the UK. There are nine severe flood warnings in place in Scotland.

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