Forecourts across Cumbria reported that they were extremely busy during the recent devastating floods.

Cerys Hine is site manager at Oakhurst Service Station in Lamplugh Road, Cockermouth. When Forecourt Trader spoke to her, she said her road was the only route into the flood-hit town after several bridges collapsed. "At one point it felt like Christmas Eve with all the panic buying that was going on. People were filling up their cars however little space they had in their tanks. Then they came in and apologised for only spending a few pounds. We also had a major run on bread, milk and newspapers because the newsagents in town had closed because of the floods. We are on the roundabout near the evacuation centre so we also sold a lot of household items."

It was a similar story in Workington which was split in two after its Calva Bridge sank by a foot and the central arch cracked open. Steve Trembath, manager of Hills Longmile Service Station on the A595, said his site had also been extremely busy.

He said: "Friday November 20 was horrendous we were so busy. People were grabbing stuff and really panic buying. They were picking up bread, milk, cigarettes, cereals and cans of beans. Phone top-ups also sold well but all the machines slowed right down so I had to put notices up asking, if possible, for people to pay in cash."