£7m to turn old railway line into path approved

The Iron Line project will include a visitor centre, cafe and event space

The transformation of a former railway line into a walking and cycling route has taken a step forward, as £7.1m of funding has been approved.

Cumberland Council agreed the money to build the 4.7 mile (7.5km) Iron Line - a coastal path around the Hodbarrow Nature Reserve, near Millom, Cumbria.

If plans are approved by the council's planning committee, construction is expected to start later this year.

The line would be fully accessible and would include public art and a visitor centre with a cafe and event space, the local authority said.

The executive committee at the Labour-led council decided to award the contract to Story Construction.

The plans are part of the £29.3m Millom Town Deal to boost wellbeing and create economic opportunities across Millom and Haverigg.

Mark Fryer, leader of Cumberland Council, said the funding approval represented a "significant investment" in the area.

He added: "This decision underlines Cumberland Council's commitment to driving sustainable regeneration, strengthening our visitor economy, and delivering high-quality infrastructure that benefits residents and attracts new opportunities to the area."