Ireland’s silver medallist pairing of Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern are still coming to terms with their display the ISAF World Cup in Hyeres, France on Saturday.

A serious fire has “severely damaged” celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Park Farm.

Flood-hit communities were today facing up to the devastation caused by the torrential downpours as homes and businesses were cut off by collapsed or damaged bridges and schools closed.

An urgent safety review of Cumbria’s 1,800 bridges was under way today with emergency services warning one bridge could collapse at any time and 50mph winds forecast.