Brown met flooded-out residents in Cockermouth, northwest England, and emergency services workers who have been battling to cope with the freak downpours.

Some 314 millimetres (12.3 inches) of rain fell in 24 hours over scenic Cumberland county in northwest England earlier in the week, causing floods that swept a policeman to his death and destroyed bridges. Hundreds of stranded residents were airlifted out.

Brown, who pledged an extra one million pounds (1.65 million dollars, 1.1 million euros) of government money to help flood-hit communities, met people unable to return home at a reception centre set up at the Shepherd's Hotel in Cockermouth.

"This is the second time I have been flooded out, in 2005 I was out for six months. This time its hopeless. I don't know when I will get back home," said 88-year-old Doris Studholme.

"I've lost everything again. Last time they had to carry me out, this time they came quickly and got us out before the flood.

"But I've got family and the people here could not do any more for us."

Earlier, Brown praised the "superb response" of the emergency services.

"What you have done over the last few days is tackle one of the greatest rainfalls we've seen in our country and you've done it with such superb organisation that I wanted to tell you on behalf of the whole country how proud we are of you," he said.

Four bridges collapsed in the area, with an estimated 1,100 homes affected by flooding and several hundred people displaced.

In Cockermouth, the town worst hit by the floodwaters, helicopters winched people to safety and rescue boats negotiated streets turned into canals after the Derwent and Cocker rivers burst their banks.

More than 200 people were forced to leave their homes as the bridges collapsed into the raging rivers and main roads were blocked.

The market town was the birthplace of poet William Wordsworth and Fletcher Christian, who led the 1789 mutiny on the Bounty.

Cockermouth sits on the edge of the Lake District, a picturesque national park containing England's highest mountains.

Queen Elizabeth II sent a message saying she was "deeply concerned and saddened" by the flooding and thanked emergency workers for their "selfless efforts."

"My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected and whose homes and livelihoods have been damaged," the head of state said.

The Environment Agency said four severe flood warnings remained in place in the area.

Julian Mayes, a forecaster with MeteoGroup UK, said: "What happened was at least a one in 500 year event. It was an historic day which broke all records."

Policeman Bill Barker would have been 45 on Saturday was directing motorists away from a bridge over the Derwent in the coastal town of Workington on Thursday when he was swept away.

The bridge collapsed into the surging river and his body was recovered on a beach.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Ireland battled its worst floods in decades, with the government rushing to provide shelter and drinking water to those affected and soldiers dispatched to assist.

Prime Minister Brian Cowen was to chair an emergency task force meeting on the crisis, the government said.

Troops were sent to assist emergency services in six cities and towns in the south and west after days of sustained rainfall.

A number of rivers burst their banks, roads were closed and trains cancelled in the worst-hit areas.

Cork, Ireland's second city, was particularly badly hit.