Cumbria stories you might have missed this week

It took David Price four years to build the replica Spitfire in his garden

The ongoing saga of a Raac-plagued venue having to cancel shows, what triggers the landslides causing havoc for travellers and how a man's labour of love replica Spitfire drew crowds to his garden.

Here are a few Cumbria stories you might have missed out on this week.

Raac-hit venue reopening delay affects 40 shows

The Sands Centre shut in September 2023 after Raac was found

A council-owned venue will have to reschedule dozens of shows after a fresh delay in work to remove crumbling concrete.

The Sands Centre in Carlisle, Cumbria, was shut in September 2023 to allow for 200 tonnes of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) to be removed.

Cumberland Council, which owns the building, had initially said it would reopen for this autumn's season, but the date was pushed back to early 2026. The authority has now confirmed shows will be rescheduled until mid-June.

The Labour-led council blamed delays on damage caused by Storm Eowyn earlier this year, which damaged a temporary canopy.

Read about the ongoing saga here.

The charity helping city's 'hidden' homeless

A charity in Carlisle providing help and support for homeless young people in the city says the problem is often hidden.

Carlisle Key has two houses in the city where young people can live short term.

It was one of the projects in Cumbria that Children In Need funded last year.

Find out more about what is being done to tackle the problem.

Why are landslides grinding routes to a halt?

Professor Richard Johnson has studied landslides across Cumbria as well as their impact in the Indian Himalayas

Huge landslides occur in their hundreds every year across the UK, with many causing significant damage and some resulting in fatalities. But what actually causes them and why are they shutting down travel routes?

Cumbria has experienced its fair share of landslides and experts are warning they could become more common.

As the world warms, the UK is likely to have hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters, according to the Met Office.

Is the problem going to get worse? Read here to find out.

McDonald's to sort one-star rating 'with urgency'

The McDonald's restaurant was given a one-star rating

McDonald's has said it will address a one-star rating given to one of its restaurants with "the utmost importance and urgency".

Inspectors found improvements "needed to be made immediately on hygienic food handling including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage" at a McDonald's outlet in Dalton Road, Barrow-in Furness.

Inspectors also said there were issues with pest control, hand-washing facilities and ventilation.

A spokesperson fpr McDonald's said the fast food chain was "addressing the matters identified by the environmental health officer (EHO) with the utmost importance and urgency".

Read what inspectors found here.

How aircraft fan's garden Spitfire drew crowds

The Spitfire was pride of place in Mr Price's garden until it was donated to a museum

During the coronavirus pandemic, when there was little to keep people entertained, David Price gave his village on the outskirts of Carlisle plenty to talk about.

A marquee appeared in his garden, with the lights often on late at night. But there were no illegal parties going on in the house he shares with his wife Trish.

He was in fact building a replica Spitfire, in the middle of his lawn - and word got out fast.

Read all about the aircraft enthusiast's labour of love here.

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