Royal couple visit flood-hit town

The royal couple braved the rain in Morpeth

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have visited a Northumberland market town hit by severe flooding.

They toured Morpeth where more than 400 people were moved to safety and 1,000 properties damaged when the River Wansbeck burst its banks on Saturday.

One month's rain fell in just 12 hours and at its peak the town's high street was under 2ft (0.6m) of water.

The royal couple met residents and some of the emergency workers who helped in the rescue operation.

Water levels subsided on Sunday and Monday. No-one was seriously hurt.

The Queen has sent a message of sympathy those affected.

In a statement she said her thoughts were with those who have been displaced and lost livelihoods. The Queen also passed on her thanks to the emergency services and local councils for their work.

Meanwhile, £40,000 has been raised in the first four days of a flood victims appeal by the Morpeth Lions.

A grant of $10,000 (£5,707) was pledged by the Lions Clubs International Foundation's emergency and disaster fund.

On Thursday the government's rural advisor Stuart Burgess visited the town.

He also toured outlying rural areas near Wooler, where 100-year-old flood banks were topped for the first time in living memory.