Stories from Cumbria you might have missed

More than a dozen small boats moored at Whitehaven Harbour. The water is a dark orange/brown colour. The boats are moored along wooden boardwalks. The sky beyond is a deep blue.

Whitehaven harbour's water has been discoloured for nearly three years

Whitehaven harbour's orange water woes, the opening of a bridge over a "crucial route", and a surprise lottery win - here are some of the stories which made headlines in Cumbria.

Veteran rescuer's 'wonderful work will live on'

John Dempster who has grey hair and a grey beard. He is wearing a red Cockermouth Mountain Rescue branded red coat and T-shirt. Behind him are greeny-grey fells. He's smiling.Cockermouth MRT

John Dempster MBE volunteered for mountain rescue for 60 years

Tributes have been paid to the "wonderful work" of a veteran mountain rescue member who has died.

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team (CMRT) said John Dempster MBE had volunteered for 59 years and "remained actively involved with the team" until days before his death on 9 October at the age of 84.

Mr Dempster chaired CMRT for 36 years and the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association (LDSAMRA) for 15 years, where he provided "invaluable support" to Lake District teams.

  • And you can read more on this story here.

Plan to divert harbour's orange water out to sea

Whitehaven Harbour, with boundary walls surrounding a harbour of water that is a distinct orange rust colour. A number of cars are parked in the background and there are trees and a hill in the distance.

The orange water has been a problem for a number of years

A plan to divert orange water from a harbour out to sea has been approved.

Tests identified iron ochre getting into Whitehaven's Queens Dock in Cumbria through a culvert which was draining water from a railway tunnel, resulting in the discolouration.

Nearly three years on, the Whitehaven Harbour Taskforce has approved a solution to build a pipeline to divert the water from the culvert through the harbour wall, where it will be released on the foreshore north of the harbour.

  • And you can read more on this story here.

'Our daughter's sweets demand got us lottery win'

Abbey Bujupi, with medium, bob-length blonde hair, wearing makeup, a gold necklace and blue floral blouse and Fitbit watch, holds a gold champagne glass, in a cheers gesture next to another identical glass that Valdet is holding next to her. He is wearing a white shirt and has short dark hair. Both are standing in the London Eye carousel with views of London behind them.National Lottery

The couple are planning a family trip to New York with their winnings

A couple has their three-year-old daughter's sweet tooth to thank for winning £524,000 in the EuroMillions lottery.

Valdet Bujupi, 44, from Barrow, Cumbria, said he would never have bought a lucky dip ticket if his daughter had not been so persistent in her demand for sweets on a journey home.

The father-of-two said he had caved in and headed to a shop after the third time she asked, "please Daddy, can I have some sweets"?

He then played a lucky dip ticket in the 5 September draw and matched five main numbers and a lucky star - 27, 30, 31, 41, 43 and 05 and 08.

  • And you can read more on this story here.

New bridge reopens 'crucial route' for village

The newly completed Buckbarrow Bridge. The bridge is made of concrete and stone brick and carries a single carriageway. It is entirely grey and has metal barriers on either side. A clear stream runs underneath the bridge.Cumberland Council

The old Buckbarrow Bridge was demolished due to fears it would collapse

A "crucial route" for villagers has reopened more than two years after a bridge was closed over safety concerns.

Buckbarrow Bridge on Corney Fell in Cumbria was closed in August 2023 and demolished the following year due to fears it was at risk of imminent collapse.

The road connects Corney Village to Duddon Bridge and its closure meant drivers had to follow a diversion along the A595 which is almost twice as long.

Cumberland Council said reopening Buckbarrow Bridge was a "significant milestone in restoring connectivity for residents, businesses, and visitors in the area".

  • And you can read more on this story here.

A general view of Elterwater and Langdale Pike covered in snow. There are a few houses at the bottom of the fell, surrounded by trees and open green space.John Hitchings

Friends of the Lake District said it was considering appealing against the judicial review of approval for the attraction at Elterwater

Permission for a zip wire to be built in the Lake District has been upheld, following a judicial review.

Charity Friends of the Lake District attempted to get the decision to allow the proposed tourist attraction at Elterwater Quarry quashed over claims planners misunderstood their responsibilities.

But a judgment published by the High Court ruled "no errors" were made by the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) when making the decision.

Friends of the Lake District said it was disappointed with the outcome and was considering the implications of the judgement and whether to appeal.

  • And you can read more on this story here.

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