Independent local newspaper publisher CN Group has donated £10,000 to help flood victims and offered affected businesses free advertising.
Lancaster-based The Bay radio station (part of CN Group) continued broadcasting despite being flooded itself and news editor Peter Storry becoming trapped inside because of a power cut which affected electronic doors.
Managing director of The Bay Radio Station, Bill Johnston, told In Cumbria: “I am incredibly proud of the whole Bay team.
"They really stepped up to the mark in providing a lifeline for listeners across The Bay.
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“We're a bit overwhelmed with all the positive feedback and the number of messages of support we've received from listeners and also the business community."
The Times & Star published three regionalised special editions specific to cover the flooding with 24-pages of mainly pictures for sale on Tuesday. The normal Friday edition carried 24 pages of news and pictures coverage.
The daily News & Star published a 25-page special edition despite being being hit by a power cut. Several journalists continued to work even as their own homes were flooded and the pape relied on generator power.
The company’s Dalston Road press could not be operated with generator power so the paper was printed off site.
News & Star editor David Helliwell said: “For many of our staff this was deja vu as it was the third major flood in Cumbria in the last decade. Their response was everything you would want from a team; professional and their only thought being how they could cover this fast unfolding story.
“For some of them to do that on virtually no sleep, while knowing their own homes were under threat showed great resilience.”
Both the North West Evening Mail and Hexham Courant used social media to keep readers informed after problems with web servers caused their sites to go down.
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