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| Body found in flood Pc search | Body found in flood Pc search |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A body has been found by teams searching for a police officer swept away after a bridge collapsed as major floods struck across Cumbria. | A body has been found by teams searching for a police officer swept away after a bridge collapsed as major floods struck across Cumbria. |
| Pc Bill Barker, 45, fell into the River Derwent when the A597 bridge was destroyed by floods in Workington. | Pc Bill Barker, 45, fell into the River Derwent when the A597 bridge was destroyed by floods in Workington. |
| Cumbria Police said Pc Barker had been directing motorists off the bridge when it collapsed. They said the body which was found was wearing a police uniform. | Cumbria Police said Pc Barker had been directing motorists off the bridge when it collapsed. They said the body which was found was wearing a police uniform. |
| About 200 people have had to be rescued in the nearby town of Cockermouth. | About 200 people have had to be rescued in the nearby town of Cockermouth. |
| Pc Barker, a father-of-four, has been an officer with the Cumbria force for 25 years. | Pc Barker, a father-of-four, has been an officer with the Cumbria force for 25 years. |
| Pc Bill Barker was swept off a bridge in Workington Essential weather information In pictures: flooding rescues | Pc Bill Barker was swept off a bridge in Workington Essential weather information In pictures: flooding rescues |
| Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Graham said: "I'm very sad to have to report we've recovered a body on the beach. | Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Graham said: "I'm very sad to have to report we've recovered a body on the beach. |
| "Constable Barker was called to the bridge with a colleague to try and protect members of the public who were putting themselves in danger by being on the bridge. | "Constable Barker was called to the bridge with a colleague to try and protect members of the public who were putting themselves in danger by being on the bridge. |
| "Unfortunately when they were on the bridge, the bridge gave way and he went into the water." | "Unfortunately when they were on the bridge, the bridge gave way and he went into the water." |
| RNLI lifeboat operations manager Captain Brian Ashbridge said "a massive current" had made conditions very challenging for the teams searching for Pc Barker. | RNLI lifeboat operations manager Captain Brian Ashbridge said "a massive current" had made conditions very challenging for the teams searching for Pc Barker. |
| He said: "It's absolutely horrendous. There is a huge amount of debris around in the water at the moment as well, which adds to the difficulties." | He said: "It's absolutely horrendous. There is a huge amount of debris around in the water at the moment as well, which adds to the difficulties." |
| Officers warned people to stay away from bridges after water pressure also destroyed the Southwaite footbridge in Cockermouth and the nearby Lorton Bridge. | Officers warned people to stay away from bridges after water pressure also destroyed the Southwaite footbridge in Cockermouth and the nearby Lorton Bridge. |
| 'Unprecedented' flooding | 'Unprecedented' flooding |
| Police said they received a high volume of calls about missing people and more than 1,200 people were left without electricity overnight. | Police said they received a high volume of calls about missing people and more than 1,200 people were left without electricity overnight. |
| The Environment Agency said the scale of the flooding was "unprecedented" and the Met Office said rainfall in some parts of the county had been some of the heaviest on record. | The Environment Agency said the scale of the flooding was "unprecedented" and the Met Office said rainfall in some parts of the county had been some of the heaviest on record. |
| Rescuers worked through the night to rescue by boat people who were trapped in their homes. | Rescuers worked through the night to rescue by boat people who were trapped in their homes. |
| Eyewitness: Cockermouth floods | |
| RAF squadron leader Dave Webster said the air search and rescue operation aiding people in towns including Keswick and Cockermouth was beginning to wind down, although a helicopter would remain on standby. | RAF squadron leader Dave Webster said the air search and rescue operation aiding people in towns including Keswick and Cockermouth was beginning to wind down, although a helicopter would remain on standby. |
| Earlier, up to 20 people were thought to be trapped in their homes in the Main Street area of Cockermouth. | Earlier, up to 20 people were thought to be trapped in their homes in the Main Street area of Cockermouth. |
| Water levels in some parts of the town centre were more than 2.5m (8ft 2in). | Water levels in some parts of the town centre were more than 2.5m (8ft 2in). |
| Lifeboat crews helped the RAF and mountain rescue teams to carry out evacuations in the town. | Lifeboat crews helped the RAF and mountain rescue teams to carry out evacuations in the town. |
| More than 200 Cockermouth residents spent the night in emergency reception centres. | More than 200 Cockermouth residents spent the night in emergency reception centres. |
| 'Wettest ever' | |
| Cumbria Police opened a casualty bureau, for members of the public to telephone should they have any concerns regarding relatives, friends and family involved in the flooding incident. | Cumbria Police opened a casualty bureau, for members of the public to telephone should they have any concerns regarding relatives, friends and family involved in the flooding incident. |
| But the Environment Agency said the situation across the county was beginning to improve with most river levels slowly falling. | But the Environment Agency said the situation across the county was beginning to improve with most river levels slowly falling. |
| Spokesman David Falcon said: "The outlook for today is pretty good as it is just showers, our only concern at present is the rainfall that is forecast for tomorrow. | Spokesman David Falcon said: "The outlook for today is pretty good as it is just showers, our only concern at present is the rainfall that is forecast for tomorrow. |
| Firefighters and RNLI personnel rescued people from their homes | |
| "About 40mm is predicted, which is nothing like the levels experienced over the past 48 hours, but of course it is falling on saturated ground." | "About 40mm is predicted, which is nothing like the levels experienced over the past 48 hours, but of course it is falling on saturated ground." |
| Four severe flood warnings remain in place on rivers in Cockermouth, Keswick and Eamont Bridge. | Four severe flood warnings remain in place on rivers in Cockermouth, Keswick and Eamont Bridge. |
| There are reports of 370mm (14.5in) of rain falling in 24 hours at Seathwaite in the Lake District. | There are reports of 370mm (14.5in) of rain falling in 24 hours at Seathwaite in the Lake District. |
| Environment Minister Hilary Benn, who visited Cockermouth on Friday morning, said it may have "the wettest day ever recorded" in the county and that many defences built after the floods of 2005 had not been able to withstand the downpour. | Environment Minister Hilary Benn, who visited Cockermouth on Friday morning, said it may have "the wettest day ever recorded" in the county and that many defences built after the floods of 2005 had not been able to withstand the downpour. |
| He said: "What we dealt with last night was probably more like one-in-a-1,000 flood, so even the very best defences, if you have such quantities of rain in such a short space of time, can be over-topped." | He said: "What we dealt with last night was probably more like one-in-a-1,000 flood, so even the very best defences, if you have such quantities of rain in such a short space of time, can be over-topped." |
| Several major roads are closed and more than 70 schools have been shut, Cumbria County Council said. | Several major roads are closed and more than 70 schools have been shut, Cumbria County Council said. |
| Are you in one of the flooded areas? What are conditions like where you live? Send us your comments and pictures. | Are you in one of the flooded areas? What are conditions like where you live? Send us your comments and pictures. |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to 61124 or you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to 61124 or you have a large file you can upload here. |
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