The northern section of the West Coast railway line in Carlisle is to remain closed for several days due to flooding, Network Rail has announced.

Approximately eight feet of water flooded the railway during Storm Desmond over the weekend.

Located around two miles north of Carlisle Station, the depth of the water has reached its peak but is not expected to clear until Tuesday.

Network Rail said a damage assessment will get underway as soon as the water recedes, while a number of safety-critical cabinets housing complex technical equipment will have to be rebuilt due to them being submerged.

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The rail transport company added its 'orange army' is working 24 hours a day to clear trees, landslips and repair flood damage.

Martin Frobisher, Network Rail's route MD, said: "The unprecedented amount of rainfall and high winds have taken a significant toll on the railway and we are working round the clock to keep as much of the network open and repair the damage that has been caused.

"North of Carlisle station we have to wait for eight feet of water to recede before we can carry out extensive safety checks and repairs – including rebuilding a host of complex electrical and signalling equipment which is currently underwater.

"This, coupled with dozens of other sites which have been flooded or damaged, means we have a lot of work to do to ensure the railway is safe and able to be used."

(LM)