A woman who was flooded out of her home has turned the tragedy into something positive by starting her own business.

Ali Heuvingh has opened a new store, ‘Much Love x’ in Salisbury Road, Currock, Carlisle, specialising in shabby chic homeware and gifts.

She used to live in The Netherlands and is bringing aspects of Dutch retail to Carlisle, including a weekly late shopping evening.

In 2015 she was forced to leave her property in Eldred Street, St Aidans, when Storm Desmond devastated the city.

This sent her into a serious depression but she was determined not to let it beat her. She decided after this to leave her job and go out on her own.

Ms Heuvingh, 60, said: “My house had nearly five feet of water and I moved out of there to live with my mum.”

She then had a difficult time with her insurance company.

This experience led to her reconsidering where she was going in her life.

“I just thought ‘things happen for a reason’ and it is time to change,” she said.

The new shop became vacant at the end of last year and Ms Heuvingh decided to leave her position as a business development manager with a firm of solicitors and take the plunge with her own shop.

It is in what might be considered an unusual position for such a shop but she does not think this will stop her making a success of the venture.

“I looked at being in the high street but I could not put myself under that pressure,” she said.

“There are a few gift shops in town but I am not comparing.”

She added: “I plan to sell things in the shop if I like them. I do not follow trends.”

Ms Heuvingh also thinks there will be “something for everybody” in the shop.

She is originally from Carlisle and lived in the Netherlands when she worked in a senior role for the country’s national airline KLM, as its catering contract manager.

In total, she was there for 20 years, returning to Cumbria in 2001.

She has one son, who works in a bookshop in Carlisle city centre.

Everything bought in the shop will be gift wrapped, which is a Dutch custom, and the store will also stay open until 8pm every Thursday.

She added: “I am also going to have ladies nights once a month, where ladies can bring their friends and have a drink and a shop.”