Open water swimmers at Windermere have been returning to find their cars vandalised.

Cumbria is staying in the tier two coronavirus restrictions, the government has announced.

Matt Hancock told Parliament it was staying in the high alert level following a two-week review of the measures.

South Lakeland has the highest rate in the county, with 144 cases per 100,000 people in the week to 12 December.

Copeland has the lowest, at 17.6 cases per 100,000 people. This is now the lowest rate in England.

The tier two restrictions mean:

• You can't mix indoors with anyone apart from members of your household or bubble
• You can meet in a group of up to six outside - including in a private garden, or a public place
• Shops, gyms and personal care services (such as hairdressing) can reopen
• Pubs and bars can only open if they serve substantial meals. Alcohol can be served with that meal
• Pubs and restaurants must shut at 11pm, with last orders at 10pm
• Sports events in stadiums can be attended by up to 2,000 spectators, or 50% capacity (whichever is smaller)
• Collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume (with restrictions)
• Non-essential foreign travel is allowed, subject to quarantine rules
• People are advised not to travel to and from tier three areas

BBC Radio Cumbria

NHS figures show thousands of Cumbrians are waiting too long for important medical scans because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Waiting lists have risen in 2020, and almost eight times as many patients compared with a year ago have not had scans within six weeks.

Analysis by the BBC data unit shows that in England alone, at least 4.4m fewer scans were carried out between April and September, compared with the same period in 2019.

In October, figures for hospitals covering Cumbria show almost 8,000 people had waited more than six weeks for CT and MRI scans, compared with fewer than 1,000 in the same month last year.

The bigger increase was in North Cumbria, where the trust running two hospitals says after coronavirus affected its work, it's started using new CT and MRI scanners in Carlisle this week.

It's also offering many scans seven days a week, and says both radiology departments are back to normal capacity.

• Temperature at 3000ft: Around 2C (36F).
• Winds: Strong south-westerly throughout the day with gusts up to 40mph at times.
• Cloud: It will be a mostly cloudy day with bases generally between 1000ft to 2000ft (300m to 600m). In the late afternoon bases may rise above the summits with some clear breaks possible, especially for northern fells.
• Weather: Blustery showers will flow in from the Irish Sea for much of the morning, but showers will ease by noon. It will remain quite cloudy and breezy throughout the day. The afternoon should be mostly dry, but the occasional shower is possible and feel chilly with brisk south-westerlies.
• Visibility: Poor above 2000ft (600m), and will be particularly poor with any morning showers, although should improve in the afternoon, especially for Northern Fells.

Ewan Murrie
Reporter

Patients at a surgery in West Cumbria will have to wait longer for coronavirus vaccinations after almost 1,000 doses failed to arrive.

Maryport Health Services, on Ewanrigg Road, has cancelled its appointments for next week and early January as NHS England has not supplied the vaccine.

In a Facebook post,, external the surgery said: "This matter has been taken out of our hands and is very disappointing for us."

It added letters are being sent out to affected patients to let them know and the surgery will contact people with re-arranged appointments.

NHS England has been approached for comment.

Omari Patrick scores the only goal of the game as Carlisle keep up their winning streak with a win over League Two strugglers Mansfield.

Jordan Clarke heads home an injury-time winner as Scunthorpe snatch victory against managerless Barrow.

A school in south Cumbria is appealing for the speed limit on a nearby main road to be reduced from 50mph to 30mph.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition after Beetham C of E Primary School raised fears a serious accident could happen if action on traffic speed on the A6 was not taken.

At a meeting of Cumbria County Council’s local committee for South Lakeland, headteacher Wendy Nicolas said: “The level of noise affects our teaching and if a lorry left the road it could be fatal.

“We have had several parents’ vehicles hit along the road during pick-up times."

A highways spokesman told the meeting the road will now be assessed to see if a reduced speed limit is possible and a report produced for Spring.

Image source, Google

Tony Packenham was driving at nearly 80mph when his Land Rover struck a car, killing a 13-year-old.

BBC Radio Cumbria

Cumbria's mountain rescue teams are worried visitors coming to the Lake District this Christmas will venture on to the fells ill-prepared and ill-equipped.

The Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association says there's been a 30% increase in the number of people getting lost on the fells during the coronavirus pandemic.

It says some of the rescues have involved people from outside the county, who are not familiar with the challenges of the winter weather.

Image source, Wasdale MRT

A 74-year-old man who was involved in two-car collision in Workington has died.

It happened yesterday at 10:35 on Washington Street.

The family of Robert Hodgson from Maryport said: “Robert was a real character who you would never forget if you had met him.

"We are devastated at losing him, he will be missed by all of his family and friends."

The driver of the other car wasn't hurt, Cumbria Police said.

Image source, Google

• Temperature at 3000ft: Around 2C (36F).
• Winds: A moderate south-westerly breeze, with gusts to around 35mph to 40mph.
• Cloud: Cloud bases will generally be between 1000ft to 2000ft (300m to 600m), lowest during showers.
• Weather: This morning there should be some bright spells, but for much of the day it will be quite cloudy with frequent blustery showers blowing in from the south-west.
• Visibility: Above cloud bases visibility will be poor, and also during any showers.

Image source, Fell Top Assessors

Zac Poulton from the Fell Top Assessors took this photo and says thawing snow and heavy rain over the last few days mean many streams are now in spate making crossings tricky and potentially dangerous. He's urging for caution on the Hollow Stones route up Scafell Pike and Red Tarn path on Helvellyn.

Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has warned the government against relaxing coronavirus restrictions over the festive period.

The Liberal Democrat representative for Westmorland and Lonsdale told the House of Commons on Monday "it would be a particular tragedy" if people died from the virus "when the end was in sight".

"That's what we've got ahead of us now. That's why if we need to tighten restrictions over Christmas, miserable though that may be, don't we want our loved ones to see summer?"

While Cumbria is subject to tier two - high alert - restrictions, London, most of Essex and parts of Hertfordshire will join tier three on Wednesday.

However, between 23 and 27 December, three households in a "Christmas bubble" can mix indoors and stay overnight.

While there has been some excitement at the prospect of families meeting, NHS bosses have warned people to think "really carefully" about the risks.

Image source, Reuters

Kenneth Pointon squeezed his partner's throat until she feared she would die, a court hears.

Demolition work at the Sands Centre in Carlisle is due to start as part of a major redevelopment, including a swimming pool.

Leisure facilities are being moved to the nearby Newman's school, as demolition work starts to make way for a new 82ft (25m) swimming main pool and a 65ft (20m) learner pool complete with a moveable floor.

There will also be changes to the existing events hall, four court sports halls, fitness suite and spinning studio.

It's hoped work will be finished by late Autumn 2022

Image source, Carlisle City Council

A service to keep mums and their newborn babies together, even if the baby needs medical help in the first few days of their life, has been started at the West Cumberland Hospital and Cumberland Infirmary.

The neonatal transitional care areas mean new mothers can stay with their babies while they are being cared for.

It allows them to bond as the babies don't need to be separated while they are undergoing treatment.

Midwives and nurses from the special care baby unit, will support babies who need tube feeding, intravenous antibiotics and care for those born a little early or with a low birth weight.

Image source, NHS North Cumbria

Cumbria is likely to remain under tier two coronavirus restrictions when the government announces the results of its nationwide review this week, Carlisle MP John Stevenson said.

The county was placed in high alert - the middle of three tiers - when lockdown ended on 2 December, with a decision on whether those measures remain in place scheduled for Wednesday.

Mr Stevenson told the BBC: "I think on balance Carlisle and Cumbria will remain in tier two, although the direction of travel is positive and it may well be that we move towards tier one in the new year.

"I think it will be driven by evidence and that's the right approach to take."

The current restrictions mean people are not allowed to socialise with anyone from outside their household or support bubble indoors, either in a private home or a public place.

However, they can socialise in groups of up to six people outdoors - including private gardens and public places.

• Temperature at 3000ft: Around 3C to 4C (37F to 39F).
• Winds: Strong south-westerly winds throughout the day often reaching gale force strength, gusts will be between 45 to 55mph.
• Cloud: Cloud bases will generally be between 1000ft to 2000ft (300m to 600m), lowest during showers.
• Weather: Frequent blustery showers throughout the afternoon will blow in from the south-west. Showers could be heavy.
• Visibility: Poor above cloud bases and very poor visibility during showers.

Image source, Fell Top Assessors

Photo from the Fell Top Assessors in challenging conditions, descending onto Swirral Edge from the Helvellyn plateau. They say snow patches are easily avoided and crampons not currently required.

Bringing you the latest news, travel and weather from across Cumbria from Monday 14 December to Friday 18 December, 2020

League Two Barrow part company with manager David Dunn after nine games without a win.