THOUSANDS of residents across the region have been stranded without power overnight following the storm that swept across the county on Friday.

Homes in Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere, Crook, Shap and Appleby-in-Westmorland were among the 70,000 across Cumbria to lose electricity over the weekend.

Around 500 homes in Appleby, Kirkby Stephen and parts of South Lakeland were also without running water as the floods affected the electricity supply that feeds small pumping stations and Discreet Treatment Works.

Engineers from United Utilities worked throughout the day on Saturday to help restore power although the continued high winds made working conditions hard.

They resumed work at first light this morning in the hope that power could be returned to homes by the end of the day.

Part of the power loss was due to flooding of the substation at the Willow Holme Industrial Estate in Carlisle which feeds around 20 other substations across the county.

John Carberry, of United Utilities, said: "It has been an extremely unusual and difficult time.

"We have had extensive problems across the North West because of the severe weather and our engineers have been working to restore power as quickly as possible.

"Conditions have been difficult, especially for engineers who need access to overhead power lines in the high winds.

"The teams will continue throughout today and we hope to resume services as soon as possible."