The factories of least two city centre commercial printers, Border Offset and BK Screen Print, were flooded, while production of local papers including the News & Star transferred to Barrow-in-Furness.

Joan Lewis, a partner at BK Screen Print, said that water rose to a depth of almost two metres in the firm's factory. She declined to give any further details.

Laura Reid, office manager at Border Offset, which employs 10 staff, said that an assessment was currently underway but that production would begin again "within seven days".

Out-of-town printers escaped direct damage, although production was lost with the electricity blackout. Gordon Berry, managing director of Colophon, reported that staff had also taken time off work to clear up their homes.

Story by Josh Brooks