FLOODING is causing chaos across Cumbria today with roads, schools, train services and sports matches cancelled or closed.

Headlines:

One lane is closed on the M6 southbound between Junctions 40 and 39 because of a collision (11.50pm).

Trains are no longer running between Preston and Lancaster with rail staff telling passengers: "It's too dangerous".

Two lanes of the M6 to remain closed between Junction 36 (Barrow) and Junction 35 (Carnforth) "for several hours" because of a three-vehicle collision (9.15pm). One vehicle has overturned.

The A6 at Levens has now been closed in both directions (9.19pm) and localised flooding is being reported along the A6 between Lancashire and Cumbria.

A590: Significant floods are being reported at the end of the dual carriageway at Newby Bridge; Lindale Hill; at Levens at the bottom of the hill before the A6 turnoff and at the Brettargh Holt roundabout.

Train delays and cancellations continue into the evening, with 40 minute delays to those travelling on the line between Arnside and Carnforth. Passengers attempting to get home to Cumbria are reporting 'chaos' at Preston Railway Station. According to Northern, the next service running from Preston to Barrow is the 21.47 train. Carnforth Railway Station is partially flooded.

Police have reported the roundabout at Newby Bridge (A590/A592) is starting to flood.

One lane of the M6 is closed southbound between junctions 33 and 32 because of flooding and an accident.

The River Kent is now expected to flood in and around Kendal. The Environment Agency is warning residents to take "immediate action".

Fire crews are removing floodwater from houses in Keswick and Wigton.

Trains between Carlisle and Barrow are starting from Maryport.

Weather warnings for rain and wind remain in place until tomorrow morning.

The following updates include all trains, roads and schools across Cumbria.

TRAINS CANCELLED/DELAYED:

  • Due to flooding at Aspatria all lines are blocked.
  • All trains cancelled between Maryport and Carlisle. The 12:08 Carlisle to Barrow-In-Furness due 14:36 has been delayed at Wigton. Buses are replacing trains between Maryport and Carlisle until the end of the day.
  • The 16:48 Lancaster to Barrow train due 17:56 has been cancelled.
  • The 12:52 Carlisle to Lancaster due 16:28 is being delayed at Carlisle and is now expected to be 30 minutes late.
  • The 15:24 Buxton to Barrow via Manchester, due 18.56 is currently running 17 minutes late.
  • The 17:14 Manchester Oxford Road to Barrow-In-Furness due 19:34 was terminated at Preston. It will no longer call at Lancaster, Carnforth, Silverdale, Arnside, Grange, Kents Bank, Cark, Ulverston, Dalton, Roose and Barrow.
  • The 17:20 Barrow to Windermere due 18:58 is being delayed at Grange.
  • The 17:31 Barrow to Carlisle due 20:31 will be terminated at Maryport. It will no longer call at Aspatria, Wigton, Dalston and Carlisle. It has been delayed at Barrow and is now 22 minutes late.
  • The 17:37 Carlisle to Barrow due 20:31 will be started from Workington. It will no longer call at Carlisle, Dalston, Wigton, Aspatria, Maryport and Flimby.
  • The 18:03 Barrow to Preston due 19:32 will be starting late from Barrow and is expected to be 25 minutes late. This is due to waiting for a train crew member.
  • Due to flooding between Arnside and Carnforth some lines are blocked. Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 40 minutes. Disruption is expected until 8pm.

ROADS CLOSED:

  • Ulverston Road between Leece and Gleaston is closed.
  • The A5087 Coast Road near Aldingham is closed (Barrow/Ulverston).
  • The A591 at Rydal (Lakes) is closed between Greenbank Road and B5287 Stock Lane.
  • There is significant surface water on the A590 at Lindale Hill which is causing a major aquaplaning risk.
  • The A595 at Muncaster is just passable.
  • A684 Castle Green Road in Kendal is closed.
  • The A66 is closed to high sided vehicles due to strong winds between A685 (Brough) and A67 (Bowes).
  • A6 at Milnthorpe is just passable Just passable due to flooding between B5282 Park Road / B6384 Main Street (Milnthorpe) and Pool Darkin Lane (Beetham). The A6 is just passable at Carnforth due to flooding on the roundabout with the M6 junction.

SCHOOLS CLOSED: (all expected to re-open Thursday November 23)

Ambleside Primary School.

Bassenthwaite School.

Beacon Hill Community School, Wigton.

Blennerhasset School, Wigton.

Borrowdale Primary School, Keswick.

Crosscannonby School, Maryport.

Dowdales School, Dalton.

Furness College, Barrow.

Great Orton Primary School, Carlisle.

Hawkshead Esthwaite Primary School, Ambleside.

Holm Cultram Abbey School, Wigton.

Holme St Cuthbert School, Maryport.

Ireby Church of England School, Wigton.

Lanercost School, Brampton.

Langdale School, Ambleside.

St Michael's Primary School, Bothel, Wigton.

Oughterside Primary School, Wigton.

Richmond Hill School, Wigton.

Sandside Lodge School, Ulverston.

Solway Community College.

St Michael's CofE Primary School, Bothel (Wigton)

Ulverston Victoria High School.

Waberthwaite School, Millom.

AFFECTED ROADS AND SERVICES BY TOWN/AREA:

BARROW

  • Walney Road , near to the fire station and by the junction with Devonshire Road, is flooding and there are delays because of an accident.
  • Black Butts Lane on Walney is severely flooded.
  • The A590 between Ulverston and Barrow is flooding in parts.
  • Police have said the A5087 Coast Road is flooding, causing delays for motorists travelling between Barrow and Ulverston. Parts of the road are completely impassable. Highways Agency are in attendance and police ask that motorists avoid the area and find an alternative route.
  • Marsh Street in Barrow, underneath the Greengate Street bridge, is flooding.
  • Greengate Street in Barrow, near to the leisure centre, is also flooded.
  • Water is gathering on Rating Lane, Flass Lane and parts of Abbey Road in Barrow at the top end among others.
  • Part of Abbey Road between Barrow and Dalton near to Mill Brow is flooding.
  • The area around Furness Abbey , as well as the rural roads surrounding it, has also flooded.
  • The route between Furness Abbey and Holbeck is impassable.
  • The bridge crossing the Red River in Roose is overflowing and is not safe to cross.
  • The car park at Tesco Metro in Flass Lane, Roose, is starting to flood.

DALTON

  • Dowdales School in Dalton is CLOSING at 12.45pm, parents have been told.
  • Poaka Beck, The Yarl, Hagg Gill and Butts Beck at Dalton are all expected to flood. The Environment Agency said: "River levels are rising and have gone through the flood warning threshold at Bow Bridge, river levels will continue to rise during the course of the day but we expect rainfall to ease into the evening. We have contractors and Environment Agency staff on the ground to help manage the situation."

ULVERSTON

  • Highways England is reporting delays and congestion along the A590, particularly after Newby Bridge westbound, with parts between Ulverston and Greenodd starting to flood.
  • Morecambe Road in Ulverston is flooded.
  • Ulverston Victoria High School is closing at 1.50pm.
  • Dragley Beck is predicted to flood later today. The Environment Agency said: "Heavy rainfall overnight and this morning is forecast to continue through today and into the evening. River levels on Dragley Beck and Town Beck are rising and have gone through the flood warning threshold at Fitz Bridge, river levels will continue to rise during the course of the day but we expect rainfall to ease into the evening. We have contractors and Environment Agency staff on the ground to help manage the situation."

WEST CUMBRIA

  • The A595 at Muncaster is just passable.
  • The A595 between Bootle and Broughton is flooded in places.
  • Waberthwaite School will be CLOSED from 08:30 on 22 November 2017, and is due to re-open 07:45 on 23 November 2017. Closure due to roads flooding and staff are unable to get to school.
  • Roads in Maryport, Wigton and Workington are heavily congested because of flooding.

LAKES/SOUTH CUMBRIA

  • The A591 at Rydal is closed.
  • The ferry between Bowness and Far Sawrey is closed because of strong winds.
  • The A592 between Newby Bridge and Bowness is also starting to flood.
  • Bassenthwaite School will be CLOSED from 13:00 on 22 November 2017, and is due to re-open 09:00 on 23 November 2017. Bassenthwaite School is closing today at 1pm due to weather and road conditions (having only the one access road which is now flooding)

KENDAL

  • The A684 Castle Green Road is closed.

BROUGHTON

  • The rivers Duddon, Crake and Mill Beck are expected to flood and cause disruption.

WIGTON

  • Oughterside Primary School is closed.
  • Ireby Church of England School is closed.
  • Blennerhasset School is closed.
  • Beacon Hill Community School, Wigton.
  • St Michael's, Bothel, Wigton.

At 4.30pm, a Cumbria County Council spokesman said: "Cumbria County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service and Highways Teams are currently working tirelessly to mitigate the disruption caused by the current heavy rain across Cumbria.

"The county council’s Highways Teams have been battling to keep open as much of the county’s road network as possible in the face of numerous incidents of localised flooding."

Send your rain and flooding pictures to amy.fenton@nwemail.co.uk

SAFETY ADVICE:

In an update released at 3.30pm, a police spokesman said: "Roads across the county are being affected by the ongoing rainfall.

"Police would like to reiterate their advice to motorists to drive to the conditions following continued rainfall across the county.

Drivers are asked to take care, slow down and not attempt to drive through flooded roads."

Key safety messages from Cumbria County Council include:

Consider before you set off whether your journey is essential. If not, can it be delayed until after the rain has subsided.

Plan journeys in advance, taking care to avoid areas which are prone to flooding, and factor in extra time to allow for slower speeds and potential congestion.

Driving too fast through standing water could lead to tyres losing contact with the road. Slow down.

Finally, do not attempt to walk or drive through flood water.

CUMBRIA FIRE AND RESCUE RESPONSE :

Since 8.20am, the county council’s Fire and Rescue Service has dealt with more than 30 flood-related incidents.

Initially, the majority of flood related calls were for advice in relation to sandbag provision.

Since midday the number of incidents has increased and CFRS have deployed several fire appliances to deal with flooding and in a few cases they have rescued people from cars trapped in floodwater.

As of 4.30pm, CFRS are still dealing with five flood related incidents.

This morning the majority of flood related incidents were located in the south of Cumbria.

There is still one ongoing incident in Ambleside area. However, the other ongoing flood related incidents are now located in the West of Cumbria, namely Aspatria, Keswick and Egremont.

WEATHER WARNINGS:

Heavy rain is expected to begin again at around 7pm this evening, there having been a brief spell of calmer showers across the afternoon as originally forecast. As predicted, the rain died down until around 4pm but is expected to start again in earnest within the next hour and continue straight through until the morning.

The yellow weather warning for rain is in place until 9am tomorrow with the expectation that the county will see 25-50mm of rain, and around 100mm possible over higher ground.

Flood alerts have also been issued for Cumbria's coastline and 70mph gales are predicted to hit the area.

Coastal areas and high ground is warned to brace itself for gusts of wind ranging from 65mph to 70pmh, with most places expected to be hit by 50mph winds.

The weather warning for wind is in place until 7am tomorrow.

The rain is however expected to ease later in the week and into the weekend - with the prospect of snow now on the horizon.