Residents of England’s flood-hit Lake District to be allowed back homes as cleanup begins

Residents return to N. England homes after flood

LONDON — Residents of flood-battered northern England are struggling back to work, school and homes after swollen rivers inundated roads and caused several bridges to collapse.

Police said residents and business owners in the hardest-hit town, Cockermouth, would be allowed to return to their properties Monday.

Some of the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in Britain triggered floods in the mountainous Lake District last week.

More than 1,000 homes were flooded and people had to be rescued by helicopter when rivers burst their banks.

Authorities say 18 schools remain closed, and more than two dozen roads are blocked.

A police officer was swept to his death when a major bridge collapsed Friday. Police and army experts are checking the safety of 1,800 bridges.