Bid to reintroduce bird of prey to region

The eagles were last bred in Cumbria in the 18th Century

Plans to bring white-tailed eagles back to a county have been put to the public.

The eagles were once widespread across Cumbria but were persecuted to extinction, with the last recorded breeding attempt near Haweswater in 1787.

The Lifescape Project believes the birds have an "intrinsic right" to be in the county after successful reintroduction programmes in Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Wight.

But there have been downsides, particularly in Scotland, where the eagles have been known to prey on lambs.

Research from a team at the University of Cumbria suggests the Lake District is an ideal place for the eagles to thrive.

Richard Francksen, zoologist at the university, said the eagles were a "majestic, incredible, awe-inspiring species" which would positively impact the tourism industry and local economy if their reintroduction was "done properly".

"They should be here anyway," he added.

White-tailed eagles have been successfully introduced elsewhere in the UK

Dr Deborah Brady, from the Lifescape Project, said its aim was to "reverse the biodiversity crisis we're in".

"One of the key things we need to do is bring back species that are missing from our ecosystems and some species have more impact than others," she said. "The eagle is definitely part of that."

Residents of the Lake District have been asked for their opinion on the proposed reintroduction

People are able to attend multiple drop-in sessions and meetings held by the project to learn more about the eagles and have their say on their potential reintroduction.

Tim Duckmanton, from the Lake District National Park Authority, said: "We need to understand, is it feasible from a community point of view? Do they want white-tailed eagles back in the landscape?

"Then, after that, we move to how we go about releasing them later."