Engineers have been working to replace water mains

Water engineers in Hexham finished disinfecting a replacement pipeline, installed after flood waters washed away two mains, early on Thursday.

Northumbrian Water said more than 1,000 homes had had their supplies reconnected on Thursday morning.

In Cumbria, 1,700 homes were still without power after the bad weather.

Northumbrian Water engineers have been working round the clock to connect two miles of pipeline. Before supplies began to be reconnected, up to 10,000 homes were left without supplies.

Carlisle streets are littered with flood-damaged furniture

As supplies return, the company has warned that water will be discoloured and should be used sparingly. Supply will not be restored to some homes until the weekend.

Emergency water supply tanks were set up in Hexham but some were vandalised. In one instance, youths were accused of urinating into a bowser.

A number of schools in Hexham are closed until next week.

Ovingham Bridge, in Northumberland, which had been closed by heavy flooding on Friday has now been reopened after water levels dropped.

On Wednesday afternoon, power firm NEDL said power had been restored to homes across the north-east of England.

At its height, 150,000 homes in the North East and Yorkshire were left without power.

River burst

In Cumbria, which has been among the areas worst hit, United Utilities said about 1,700 homes were still without power.

The company said that although the strong winds this week did not create as many problems as expected, it hampered the engineers.

Across the county, 25 schools are still shut because of a lack of power.

Cumbria Police issued a warning to homeowners who have been forced to place flood-damaged furniture into the streets to await collection by council refuse staff, because it could be targeted by arsonists.

The region was still coping with flood problems. On Wednesday the River Tyne burst its bank in the centre of Newcastle, flooding a car park.

Environment Agency officials and city council workers in Newcastle worked to clear floodwater which affected a small area of Newcastle city centre's Quayside on Wednesday afternoon.

Part of a pedestrian walkway under the Swing Bridge was under water, leaving businesses under threat of flooding.

Newcastle City Council workmen used hydraulic equipment to pump away the water.

The flooding was blamed on an unusually high spring tide.