Summary

  • Seven years prison for M6 driver in fatal crash

  • Defence ministry warns of zip wire low flying risk

  • Millom residents call for flood action

  • Heavy snow brings avalanche danger to fells

  1. Walkers got 'lost in mist and climbed wrong fell'published at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2020

    The men thought they were at the Old Man of Coniston but were more than a mile away at Great How.

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  2. Carlisle United 4-0 Stevenagepublished at 19:27 Greenwich Mean Time 12 December 2020

    Promotion-chasing Carlisle United thrash 10-man Stevenage 4-0 to claim their biggest home win of the season.

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  3. Crawley Town 4-2 Barrowpublished at 17:56 Greenwich Mean Time 12 December 2020

    Crawley put four past 10-man Barrow, with a Max Watters hat-trick, to battle to victory in League Two at the Broadfield Stadium.

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  4. Plans for high school Covid tests after holidayspublished at 13:17 Greenwich Mean Time 12 December 2020

    The 'massive logistical challenge' will involve about half of the county's 40 secondary schools.

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  5. Gamblesby prepares for socially-distanced carol servicepublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 11 December 2020

    Bob Cooper
    Political reporter, BBC Cumbria

    A Cumbrian village is coming together this Christmas and celebrating in a rather different way.

    Gamblesby in the Eden Valley is miles away from pubs and shops, but people living there have relied on community spirit to help get them through.

    Gamblesby village

    Many in the village near Melmerby have missed social contact with the village hall being shut since March, but they’re determined to celebrate Christmas.

    They're rehearsing carols outside on the green and planning a drive-in nativity.

    Carol practice on the green

    You can see more on this story on Politics North on Sunday 13 December at 10:00 on BBC One.

  6. Bag thief leaves pensioner unhappy in 50 year homepublished at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 11 December 2020

    An 84-year-old woman has been left unhappy in her home of almost 50 years after a thief stole her handbag, a court has heard.

    Josh John Nicholson, 24, went to the woman's home in Workington and told her his mother had died, then stole her bag while she was distracted.

    He used the £70 cash inside to buy milkshakes and top-up cards, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

    Nicholson was jailed for 21 months after admitting burglary and theft.

    Prosecutor Brendan Burke said the pensioner had spoken of her distress and is no longer happy being at a house in which she'd lived for almost half a century and sought medical advice from her doctor.

    Nicholson stole the bag on 8 November, four days after he was caught trying to burgle another house in Workington. He was caught in the act by the homeowners after they were alerted to suspicious noises and found him downstairs just before midnight.

    Nicholson, of Mona Road, Salterbeck, Workington, was described as being "mortified" by his actions.

    He was also banned from contacting the victims and visiting their addresses for five years.

    Carlisle Crown CourtImage source, Google
  7. 'Blind date' hope for armadillo romancepublished at 13:46 Greenwich Mean Time 11 December 2020

    Lakeland Wildlife Oasis brought in a new male after its resident pair failed to produce offspring.

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  8. Weather on the fells: Cloudy and dull with showerspublished at 09:51 Greenwich Mean Time 11 December 2020

    • Temperature at 3000ft: 3C to 6C (37F to 43F).
    • Winds: A gentle to moderate south-easterly breeze this morning with gusts up to 25mph. Light and variable winds in the afternoon with gusts nearer 15mph.
    • Cloud: Extensive low cloud and hill fog through the day with a base of around 1000ft (300m).
    • Weather: Mostly cloudy and dull with scattered showers.
    • Visibility: Poor throughout over hills and locally poor in the valleys.
    Summit shelter at Helvellyn with ice rime feathersImage source, Fell Top Assessors

    Picture from the top of Helvellyn showing rime ice feathers forming on the summit shelter. It was taken by Zac one of the fell top assessors,who points out you can see the summit cairn lurking in the gloom behind.

  9. Lake District tree and wildflower nursery to be createdpublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2020

    Plans to create the largest native tree and wildflower nursery in the Lake District have been given the go-ahead.

    RSPB HaweswaterImage source, RSPB

    The government has announced RSPB Haweswater will receive almost £250,000 to grow and plant 5,000 trees across the reserve by March 2022.

    The project will create new four new jobs and will help to restore upland habitats.

    Once established, the RSPB says the nursery will generate 15,000 trees and wildflower plugs per year, including species like juniper, globeflower and downy willow.

    Quote Message

    The funding will allow us to increase our habitat restoration ambitions on site, ensuring that the trees and wildflowers we plant are from as local a source as possible. "

    Lee Schofield, RSPB Haweswater

  10. Cash to help curlew breeding programme and halt declinepublished at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2020

    A breeding project's been launched to help boost numbers of a species of wading bird.

    The curlew is under threat as its UK breeding population fell by almost half between 1994 and 2010, the RSPB said.

    The project will be supported by a £221,000 grant from the government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

    The charity will work with landowners to help improve conservation and the habitat for about 300 breeding pairs of curlews around Geltsdale and the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire.

    The project will also benefit other threatened species including lapwing, redshank and snipe.

    About 50 local volunteers will be trained to help monitor the curlew during breeding season.

    CurlewImage source, Getty Images
  11. Weather on the fells: Cloudy and dull with light rainpublished at 09:58 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2020

    • Temperature at 3000 ft: 2C (36F).
    • Winds: A gentle to moderate south-easterly breeze, gusting to 25 mph, but up to 35mph locally, possible 40mph.
    • Cloud: Overcast clouds around 3000ft to 4000ft (900m to 1200m) throughout the day. Broken cloud layers at 1000ft to 1800ft (300m to 500m) will drift in at times.
    • Weather: Cloudy and dull, with outbreaks of light rain and drizzle.
    • Visibility: Poor with mist and fog in many areas
    Swirral EdgeImage source, Fell Top Assessors

    Stunning photo descending Swirral Edge where there is more snow than Striding Edge. It was taken by Jo, one of the Fell Top assessors, who says the conditions are mixed with more ice and harder snow, mainly above 2788ft (850m) and especially above 2952ft (900m).

  12. FA fine Holdsworth for misconductpublished at 17:23 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    Carlisle United director of football David Holdsworth is fined £750 by the Football Association after accepting a misconduct charge.

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  13. Driver admits killing girl, 13, in crashpublished at 14:01 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    Ingrid Messenger was killed in a crash caused by Tony Packenham near Carlisle in February 2019.

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  14. Divided councils submit four restructuring planspublished at 10:51 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2020

    The government wants to reduce the number of local authorities in order to save money.

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  15. Nativity film brings 'light in the darkness'published at 17:38 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    A school in Cumbria films an alternative nativity - the story of Mary and Joseph in a pandemic.

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  16. Family transforms home with Christmas lightspublished at 16:11 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    The annual festive displays have raised £20,000 for the NSPCC and is also to thank the NHS and key workers.

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  17. Hypothermia warning after couple rescued from Scafell Pikepublished at 16:00 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Two walkers who became disorientated in the snow climbing Scafell Pike have been rescued in an operation lasting seven hours.

    The couple found themselves in difficult ground around the Piers Gill area on Friday and called police for help.

    Wasdale Mountain Rescue volunteers in snowImage source, Wasdale MRT

    Members of Wasdale Mountain Rescue team found the pair huddled up together in a survival bag to keep warm.

    With temperatures below zero, they were given warm clothing and high-calorie food before being escorted down to the valley floor.

    Wasdale mountain rescuers say hypothermia is a killer, and are advising anyone planning hill walks to make sure they carry the right equipment.

    Couple being escorted down to valley floorImage source, Wasdale MRT
  18. PC sentenced for 'disgusting' child abuse imagespublished at 14:46 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Ryan Anderson had 724 images, including 149 in the most serious category, on his phone, a court hears.

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  19. Kendal investment plans recommended for approvalpublished at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    Ewan Murrie
    Reporter

    A new investment plan for Kendal looks likely to be approved by South Lakeland District Council.

    Officials have recommended the council's cabinet approves plans to invest more than £500,000 in the area over three years.

    The Kendal Town Centre Strategy and Vision aims to build affordable homes and modify unused space.

    In addition, if approved it's hoped the strategy could also attract investment from the private sector.

    Stricklandgate, KendalImage source, Google
  20. Weather on the fells: Blustery with sleety rain showerspublished at 10:41 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020

    • Temperature at 3000 ft: 0c to 1C (32F to 34F)
    • Wind: West to north-westerly gusting 25 mph at times.
    • Cloud: Cloud bases will generally reside below the summits at 1000ft to 2000ft (300m to 600m) with cloudy skies for most. These cloud bases will lift above the summits by the evening.
    • Weather: Cloudy with blustery showers or outbreaks of rain at times. The rain and wind will generally ease towards the evening. Rain could be sleety near summits at times, especially in the morning.
    • Visibility: Poor visibility throughout the day with low cloud cover.