Hundreds of homes are at risk every year from flooding – and Appleby is set to receive millions of pounds to help prevent this.

The new plans will involve a pump station being built to pump flood water that in the past has come down Doomsgate and flooded about 60 properties.

Appleby has a long history when it comes to flooding and townsfolk regularly have to mop up after heavy rain.

Pete Miles from rhe Environment Agency, who is the flood risk team leader, admits it won’t stop the town flooding but it will reduce the risk to these homes.

He said: “The water comes down from about 40 different locations and it is not always able to find a route to the river. This pump station will put these home in line with the rest of the town.”

Currently the defences offer protection for a once-in-75-year storm whereas around Chapel Street it is a lot less than that.

The town’s mayor Cllr Gareth Haye said: “There will inevitably be some upheaval as the essential flood resistance work gets under way, yet we must look at it favourably as a vital opportunity to future-proof the town.

“Along with the important building work going on across the town, this will make Appleby a safer and more enjoyable place to visit and give residents a greater security and peace of mind in the challenging times of climate change and economic regrowth.”

This action comes on the back of new findings which show the floods of 2009 and 2015 were the worst for more than 550 years, according to ground-breaking analysis of lake sediment in the region.

Residents have suspected that the flooding was the worst in living memory but this finding from the sediment goes beyond this. The sediment provides an unique window of the history of flooding in one of the wettest parts of England and point to the extent of the global climate crisis.

A public meeting provided an opportunity for people to find out more about managing the impact of future flooding and provided an overview of the latest developments as well as Environment Agency’s plans.

The scheme will protect more than 60 homes and businesses and work is expected to start in February. The team from the Environment Agency was available to discuss and answer any questions that residents had.

Stewart Mounsey, Environment Agency flood risk manager for Cumbria, said: “We have been working really closely with the community to look at options to help reduce the impact of flooding in the future and have considered many options for the town.”