That takes the biscuit! Prince Charles stops in a McVitie's factory during visit to Cumbria's flood-hit victims of Storm Desmond

The Prince of Wales tried to bring some Christmas cheer to flooded out homeowners on a trip to Cumbria today.

The 67-year-old royal visitor saw for himself the devastation wreaked by more than a foot of rain in 24 hours during Storm Desmond earlier this month.

Earlier, Charles's trip to Cumbria began with a visit to the McVitie's factory in Carlisle, a major local employer, to learn how floods affected the business. 

During his visit to homeowners, Dorothy and David Richardson, both 72, showed him around the downstairs of their home on Warwick Road in Carlisle.

The neat three-bed semi, flooded for the third time as the storm hit, was left under more than two feet of water. 

Under an umbrella: The day began with Charles visiting the McVitie’s factory, a major local employer, to learn how the floods affected it

Royal visit: The front garden of Keith Wright's house in Carlisle, Cumbria, resembled a scrap yard when Charles went to see it today

Looking: Dorothy and David Richardson showed Charles around the downstairs of their home, accompanied by four of their grandchildren

It means the couple will not be home for Christmas - it will be September until their house of almost 50 years is habitable again.

Accompanied by four of their grandchildren, Matthew, 18, Lucy, 14, Molly, 11 and Henry, aged eight, they showed Charles the holes in the bare floorboards of their now empty downstairs living rooms and kitchen, still drying out until the flooring and plaster can be replaced.

Mrs Richardson told Charles the warnings of flooding meant many possessions were saved by being taken upstairs before water came through the floor and doors - but the TV and other furniture were ruined.

The retired nurse said: ‘It feels a bit surreal really, but it's very kind of him to come and think about us. He has a special feeling about Cumbria.’

Mr Richardson added: ‘Lovely to see him. He had no reason to come had he? But to climb in his helicopter and what have you and the cars.

‘He's very easy to speak to and very interesting.’

Granddaughter Lucy added: ‘He was very genuine by coming up and helping out with other people's losses.’

Mrs Richardson said the couple bought the house for £2,400 in 1966 when the couple were married - then were flooded for the first time two years later, then again in 2005 when four foot of water engulfed their home - and again in December.

The couple are now living with their daughter, Joanne Routledge, in the village of Scotby nearby - who will be hosting Christmas dinner for 12 this year.

One ‘silver lining’ to the affair is that the daughter's husband, Brian Routledge, owns a skip business - which are much in need as yellow skips are now scattered up and down streets and roads across the city. 

Pointing: Charles visited the home of Barry Cookson, 58, a retired BT engineer who described him as a 'lovely man' who 'seemed to care'

Taking cover: The Prince of Wales brought some Christmas cheer to flooded-out homeowners on a trip to Cumbria today

Next door the front garden of Keith Wright's house resembled a scrap yard - mainly the wreckage of a £20,000 brand new kitchen fitted in his house - a week before the floods hit.

Holding his dog, Buster, a two-year-old Pomeranian Chihuahua cross, Mr Wright, 62, who runs a home care agency business with wife Brenda, 42, met and spoke to Charles.

Mr Wright said: ‘I thought he appeared very very genuine. I'm a monarchist but he did appear genuine. I'm told possibly he could not get here because of the weather but he really, really wanted to come.

‘He was just very apologetic and just hoping things were going to work out for the future. I'm quite an optimistic person by heart. My wife is very upset.’

The couple are currently living in a hotel but move into rented property next week. They will eat their Christmas Dinner at a local Premier Inn.

Earlier Charles heard about the dramatic rescue of an elderly woman trapped underneath her stair lift as the floods hit.

Members of the armed forces told the Prince how the woman had been trapped for five hours and floodwater had risen to her chest.

They were able to pull the disabled woman from the floodwater and stretcher her out of the house on her dining table.

Lance Corporal Harry Kenyon, of Blenheim Company, 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, told Prince Charles that she displayed the stoic spirit that has come to define the brave Cumbrians hit by Storm Desmond.

‘It was good to be able to tell the Prince of Wales that people here are very spirited, even in the most desperate of situations,’ L/Corp Kenyon said.

After hearing the officers were able to carry the woman to safety before she was hurt, he said: ‘Thank goodness.’

Charles also visited the home of Barry Cookson, 58, on Warwick Road.

Help: Earlier this month, Charles made an undisclosed private donation to the Cumbria Community Foundation to help those affected

Royal visit: The Prince of Wales talks to workers during a trip to the McVitie's factory in Carlisle today, which was damaged in the floods

Afterwards Mr Cookson, a retired BT engineer, said: ‘What a lovely man. He really seemed to care. He asked in detail about how I am coping, what support we've had.

‘I didn't know what to expect but he was very kind and I got the sense that he really wants to be here. I heard that he specifically asked to come before Christmas - that's how much he's bothered about us.

‘It's a great way to shed light on the fact that, on Christmas week, we are still struggling.’

Later Charles travelled to nearby Greystone Community Centre, where residents sought refuge, to meet members of the emergency services who were called out at the height of the floods.

Representatives from charities including the Salvation Army and Red Cross who provided support and members of the military shared a cup of tea with the royal visitor.

Earlier this month, Charles made an undisclosed private donation to the Cumbria Community Foundation to help those affected, and his Prince's Countryside Fund also released £40,000 from its emergency fund and launched a public appeal, which has raised a further £20,000. 

The Prince's Charity, Business in the Community, is supporting Cumbria's recovery through its Business Emergency Resilience Group (Berg).

Berg was set up in 2009 after the floods in Cockermouth to help businesses and communities across the UK to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.

His final visit of the day was to nearby Appleby-in-Westmorland to view the flood damage there and learn about ongoing repairs.

Storm Desmond wreaked havoc in homes and businesses either side of the banks of River Eden which flows through the middle of Appleby-in-Westmorland.

Charles spoke to those affected by unprecedented flooding in the historic market town which sits in the picturesque Eden Valley, and learned for himself about the recovery effort and the strong community spirit which is seeing life slowly return to normal.

Among the many flooded properties on The Sands side of the bridge was Bridge End newsagents, where owner Richard Maguire explained to the Prince that the waters reached his chest level at its height.

Dressed for the occasion: Prince Charles talks to well wishers during a visit to the McVitie's biscuit factory in Carlisle, Cumbria

Taking a look: The Prince of Wales walks around the McVitie's factory in Carlisle, which suffered flood damage earlier this month

Mr Maguire told him: ‘It took us by surprise. At one stage we were a little bit concerned, I was trying to get everyone out.

‘Within a few days we were open. I wanted to get open as quickly as possible. It is great that you are showing solidarity.’

Charles took up Mr Maguire's offer of a free copy of the local Cumberland and Westmorland Herald weekly newspaper before he strolled on to Appleby Bridge and viewed the river levels beneath, which thankfully were far below the heights reached more than a fortnight ago.

The bridge was closed temporarily amid fears it suffered structural damage and motorists were faced with a 40-minute detour to get to the short distance the other side before it was declared safe.

Also open for business again on The Sands was the local garage, Roy Ashley Motors, where waters reached the height of their pumps and swept one of their Land Rover vehicles into the car showroom window.

Charlotte Ashley and her husband, Roy Ashley junior, told Charles about the battle to clear the flood damage to the long-standing family business.

She said: ‘We told him that we fortunate enough to save the diesel and petrol tanks, and £125,000 worth of cars. The pumps are working now again but only intermittently.

‘He said that he thought we had done really well to get open again so quickly.

‘I think it's good that he is visiting Appleby as it brings a little bit of awareness to the town. It's nice to be thought about.’

Town mayor Hugh Potts, 65, and his wife Anne, who showed the Prince around the town, were themselves flooded and were forced to seek shelter upstairs in their home with 4ft of water downstairs.

He said: ‘It was a big honour for the town and we are all delighted he is here.

‘It means a great deal to everyone. He was here for the people that had fought the flood and had done their bit to help the community.

‘He was amazed at how soon the shops had been up and running.’

HOW YOU CAN HELP: DONATE TO THE VICTIMS OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THE DEVASTATING FLOODING

The Daily Mail has launched a Christmas Flood Appeal - a clarion call to our readers to help families whose homes lie devastated.

With 6,500 homes swamped by Storm Desmond, Christmas has been ruined for thousands.

Now the Mail asks our readers - famed for their generosity - to join in easing the families’ awful plight.

Although the storm waters are subsiding, harrowing images of householders weeping as they return to their sodden properties symbolise the anguish being felt.

Daily Mail readers can donate by credit or debit card online, using PayPal, or by sending cheques to alleviate the hardship.

The funds will be distributed in close consultation with local charities who have already been supplying temporary accommodation, emergency repairs, food, drink and clothing, plus childcare equipment. 

The Mail’s appeal was immediately welcomed by Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss, who said: ‘The great British public is world renowned for its resilience and generosity of spirit. It’s truly humbling to see so many people reaching out to the families affected, and this is another fantastic initiative.’

Tim Farron, Lib Dem leader and a Cumbrian MP, added: ‘I want to thank the Daily Mail for starting this campaign which will mean so much to people who have lost so much.'  

These are the ways to donate:

1. Make a donation securely online using your credit or debit card or a PayPal account by clicking the donate button.

2. Use online banking to make a transfer:

Sort Code: 50-00-00, Account number: 20769512,

Payee name: Daily Mail Flood Appeal 2015

3. Write a cheque to ‘Daily Mail Flood Appeal 2015’ and write your name and address on the back, and post to:

Daily Mail Flood Appeal 2015, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT