vicar calls for prayer as RAF brings supplies to cut off parish

Rev Tony Higton from St Stephen South Stainmore Church in Cumbria spoke to Premier as the church awaited help from the RAF.

The military was called in to take emergency supplies to “extremely isolated” parts of Cumbria after severe weather wreaked havoc across the area.

Speaking during Premier’s News Hour Rev Higton said the thawing snow was an extra cause for concern.

“I think just pray for [our] safety – the bottom of our hill is a favourite place for flooding so we could get cut off again this time by water rather than by snow,” he said.

“I think if people could pray for us that we will be safe in the remaining snow and that anyone who is still affected by it and hindered by it by the end of today will get all the help they need.

“But we’re very grateful and I think we really should be thankful for the authorities and the helicopters coming to bail us out.”

The county council said areas including Fellside, South Stainmore and Alston would remain cut off for another 48 hours, after heavy snowfall and slow progress in clearing the roads.

Meanwhile, households across London and south east England have been told to use as little water as possible – after extreme weather caused burst pipes.

Thames Water workers help distribute bottled water, at a bottled water station in…