Storm Ciara: Appleby homeowner cleans up flooded home

The flood that swamped Appleby-in-Westmorland on Sunday as Storm Ciara hit the UK was nothing new for its residents. The Cumbrian town has endured 67 floods since 1815, with Storm Desmond in 2015 being particularly devastating.

The River Eden is usually a placid and pleasant waterway wending its way through the picturesque town.

But Karen Morley-Chesworth knows the river which flows past her front door can be a totally different beast when riled by extreme rainfall.

Sunday was the second time in the past five years she has watched helplessly as the Eden entered her home, stirred up by an epic storm.

But when Ciara came to call, she and her husband Maurice and their daughter Katie were ready.

"It was textbook," Mrs Morley-Chesworth says, during a brief respite from sweeping water out of her home.

They got a phone call from the Environment Agency at about 19:00 GMT on Saturday to warn them to prepare.

Then the town's flood volunteers mobilised, visiting houses to ensure people had what they needed.

Mrs Morley-Chesworth and her family set up the flood gate across their door and with the help of friends, moved everything they could upstairs.

By 10:00 on Sunday, they were ready for the river.

They had learned the lessons from five years previously when Storm Desmond struck.

On 5 December 2015, the River Eden swelled beyond its banks and a 6ft (1.8m) deep torrent swept into Mrs Morley-Chesworth's kitchen and dining room, living room and hall.

"We did not know what to expect," she says. "It was much worse than we could have imagined.

"We were not able to get things moved as quickly. That was the lesson we learnt - was not to keep too much downstairs."

Mrs Morley-Chesworth's beloved piano was swept up and smashed while the torrent also tore up their wooden floor.

Cherished family photographs and heirlooms were lost to the water and it was eight months before the family could return.

They lived in holiday cottages while their cats had to stay in a cattery.

When they returned, they made their house ready to face another flood.

The downstairs floor was replaced with hard tiles and waterproof sealant - "basically like a swimming pool" - she said.

They keep far fewer belongings and furniture downstairs so an evacuation can be carried out quickly.

The piano has been replaced by an easily-moved electric one while the gas fire has been scrapped and a log burner put in its place.

"That way even if there is no power we can still put the kettle on," Mrs Morley-Chesworth says.

During Sunday's flood, their cat Dumbledore was settled safely in the bathroom while dog Arthur Weasley was taken with the family to await the river's retreat.

This time it was only 2in (5cm) deep and the family expected to be living at home again by Monday night.

They have lived in Cumbria for 26 years and in their riverside home for 14.

Their previous home "halfway up a hill" was also flooded when a storm drain that ran beneath them burst.

"Even up a hill we weren't safe," Mrs Morley-Chesworth says with a laugh.

Having now faced two major floods in the past five years, they could be forgiven for wanting to move.

But they have no intention of doing anything of the sort.

"It's a lovely place to live," she said.

"It's a great community and though it's a town it feels like a village, everyone knows everyone else and we are very happy here."

She does not worry about floods because she knows they could happen, and she has insurance through a government scheme.

"The worst thing in 2015 was the school photographs being lost and my piano being shattered to pieces, and being out of the house for eight months was hard.

"But now we accept it's going to happen and prepare as much as we can, and that helps massively.

"Now we only have to sweep the floor, we should be back in by the end of the day."