A Cockermouth trader is a shining example of how taking direct action can have positive results.

Jonty Chippendale managed to reopen his Main Street business just 24 hours after the town was under water last year.

And it’s thanks to a number of flood defences he’s installed in the building that he managed the quick turn-around.

After The Toy Shop was devastated by floods in 2009, it took Mr Chippendale six months to repair the shop.

As it caused so much damage, he took it upon himself to make a number of changes so that if the worst was to happen again, the building would be protected the best it could.

He started with the floor. He replaced the timber with a structural concrete floor. He raised the electrics, meaning that it was safe to put the power on to use dehumidifiers to dry out the water.

The walls were re-covered with waterproof concrete, then painted, rather than being plastered.

They were then covered with a slat-wall, running horizontally so the bottom can be removed.

The ground has been covered with plastic interlocking tiles, which can be washed down after getting wet.

And under a trapdoor is a hole that water can run into, from where it can be pumped out.

Mr Chippendale said: “We know with an old building that water will always find a way in. If you can find a way to make it slower, it can be pumped out.”

Looking back to last December, he said: “We knew the water was coming so we put plywood panels on the door, screwed it on and sealed it with expanding foam. It didn’t stop the water, but it did stop the mud coming through.

“The idea you can stop water getting into the building is nonsense. You need to have materials that will dry out.

“Once you start to accept that it’s going to happen, in a way it’s less worrying.

“This is the second time in six years and if we get caught napping, we’ve only ourselves to blame.

“You can’t expect everyone to do it for us. I’ll do what I think best and each time I’ll learn from experience.”

Mr Chippendale’s defences cost £12,000. Of that, £5,000 was met by a government resilience grant and the rest was self funded.