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. Artist's lifeline to domestic abuse victimspublished at 00:57 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2020

    Emma Hunt, who has a life-limiting condition, gives vulnerable and abused women hope through art.

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  2. Boost of £1.6m from wills for air ambulancepublished at 00:44 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November 2020

    Fundraising for the Great North Air Ambulance dries up in lockdown but gifts from wills double.

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  3. Drugs network smashed by 'complex' operationpublished at 18:22 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    Police arrested people in Barrow, London and Coventry who formed the "county lines" network.

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  4. Cumbria's weather: Turning cloudy, windy and showerypublished at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    BBC Weather

    This evening will have clear spells with a few well-scattered showers.

    It will then turn mostly cloudy and windy overnight with some showery outbreaks of rain and lowest temperatures from 2C to 5C (36F to 41F).

    Weather graphic

    You can always find the latest, detailed, BBC weather forecast for where you are, by searching for your location here.

  5. Police claim 'major victory' in breaking drugs networkspublished at 16:42 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    Police say Operation Horizon has led to Barrow being regarded as "hostile" because of the way "county lines" drug dealing networks, in which big city gangs distribute cocaine and heroin in towns across the country, were broken up.

    Det Ch supt Dean Holden

    Det Ch Supt Dean Holden welcomed the jail terms handed down to the 33 people convicted of various roles, from taking mobile phone orders and distributing the drugs, to delivering them to addicts on the streets.

    “Bringing this many offenders to justice was challenging and complex.

    “But the determination, tenacity and skill of all those involved led to a major victory in the battle against county lines drugs criminals in Cumbria."

    The county's Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, said: “It would be naïve to think we had caught all dealers but we need to be clear that we will not tolerate drug dealers coming in to the county, targeting our most vulnerable people."

  6. Police posed as dealers to crack down on Barrow drugspublished at 16:34 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    Today marks a final step in Operation Horizon, in which four police forces from the Met in London to Cumbria combined to break up county lines drug dealing networks.

    Arrest being made in police rand

    Launched just under three years ago after more than a dozen people died in Barrow from taking class A drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin, Horizon involved undercover officers posing as buyers over months.

    They pieced together the networks that led from runners delivering drugs on the street, to the local dealers taking orders for drugs over mobile phones, back through supply chains to the Midlands and London.

    In January last year, coordinated raids brought in 20 people and recovered drugs and cash, followed by other phases to round up people in Barrow who provided accommodation for traffickers bringing in supplies.

    The operation also resulted in three people being charged with human trafficking, because they brought vulnerable teenagers into Furness to act as runners.

    Through this year a series of trials have dealt with those arrested, with 33 people convicted of various offences, and jail sentences adding up to more than 100 years.

  7. Shop burglar who stole clothing worth £40,000 is jailedpublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    A burglar has been jailed for masterminding a plot to steal tens of thousands of pounds worth of designer clothing from Carlisle’s House of Fraser store.

    Ashley Paul QueenImage source, Cumbria Police

    Carlisle Crown Court heard Ashley Paul Queen, 32, of of Dunmallet Rigg in the city, was first involved in taking £12,500 worth of outdoor clothing from a shop in Ambleside, but police stopped a car involved soon afterwards and recovered the stolen goods, although the occupants fled.

    Then, both before and after serving a prison sentence for other offending, Queen led two burglaries at the House of Fraser, taking Hugo Boss clothing valued at almost £17,400 during the first crime, and £10,000 worth of CP Company products on the second.

    Queen admitted burgling the Ambleside shop and conspiracy to burgle in Carlisle, and was jailed for 46 months.

    One accomplice, Rhys Anthony Robert Wilkinson, 19, of Coalfell Avenue, Carlisle, was sent to a young offenders' institution for 21 months, while another, Jonathan Brown, 28, of Hallin Crescent, Carlisle, had a 20-month sentence suspended for two years.

  8. Coronavirus: Appeal to ease pressure on hospitalspublished at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    With pressure mounting on the region’s hospitals due to coronavirus, health leaders in the North East and Cumbria are appealing to the public to only attend A&E or call 999 if they have serious or life-threatening emergencies.

    As cases of the virus continue to increase in the area, the NHS is asking people with less serious conditions to seek alternatives to just turning up at their local hospital’s A&E.

    The plea is part of the region’s #DoYourBit campaign aimed at raising awareness of others ways of getting medical advice and treatment.

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  9. 'It gives you time to not have to worry'published at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    The project, which upcycles old furniture, helps young people gain confidence and new skills.

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  10. Bay clean-ups project wins £27,000 in international ballotpublished at 15:01 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    A Cumbrian project to get rid of plastic in Morecambe Bay has won almost £27,000 of funding for a set of mass "beach cleans".

    Plastic bottle on beachImage source, Getty Images

    Clear The Bay By Day was the only UK scheme to be shortlisted in a public vote, and was up against marine projects in Brazil, Spain and Indonesia.

    The charity the Morecambe Bay Partnership will now lead volunteers in a series of clean-up operations around the bay.

  11. White goods charity takes over prominent Barrow buildingpublished at 14:40 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    A prominent building in Barrow is being taken over by a charity that recycles white goods.

    The Centenary Day centre on Abbey Road has been run by Cumbria County Council, but it will now be transferred to Barrow Domestic Appliances (BDA).

    BDA specialises in the re-use and recycling of domestic appliances, carrying out much of its work in deprived areas of the community and helping people with disabilities and living in vulnerable situations.

    Paul Fitzpatrick, the BDA chief executive, said: “This is brilliant news for our charity, and for the local community, we can’t wait to get started!”

    Centenary Day Centre
  12. Driver who 'fell asleep' jailed for causing deathpublished at 14:13 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    Grandmother Ann Copley, from Carlisle, died in the collision, near Penrith, in 2018.

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  13. Cumbria's weather: Sunny with a few showerspublished at 13:52 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    BBC Weather

    There will be spells of sunshine through the afternoon, but also one or two showers in places in moderate to fresh south-westerly winds with highest temperatures from 8C to 11C (46F to 52F).

    Weater graphic

    You can always find the latest BBC weather forecast for where you are by searching for your location here.

  14. Pensioner, 78, who admits causing fatal crash is jailedpublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    A pensioner from Suffolk who fell asleep at the wheel on the A66 in Cumbria and caused a head-on crash which killed a much loved grandmother has been jailed for a year.

    Colin Brown, 78, of Upper Street, Layham, near Ipswich, was in a Renault Master van towing a caravan which veered across the road into an oncoming Citroen C3 near Penrith.

    Road where crash happenedImage source, Google

    Carlisle Crown Court heard Brown, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving was heading from his Suffolk home to the Lakes and had taken three breaks during a seven-hour journey.

    The collision left Ann Copley, 76, from Carlisle trapped in the car with every bone in her body broken.

    Judge Nicholas Barker heard of Brown’s poor health, his own previous family tragedies and considered references, but imposed an immediate 12-month jail term, saying the message must go out that drivers held a responsibility to others.

  15. Magistrates call for volunteers to serve cause of justicepublished at 11:49 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    Cumbria's courts are trying to make up a shortage of magistrates by recruiting another 25 to serve in Carlisle, Barrow and Workington.

    MagistratesImage source, Philip Woolmuth/Magistrates Association

    Chris Harris, a magistrate sitting in the Barrow court, said: "We’re appealing to that same spirit of giving back by doing something for people around you, punishing offenders, helping to get people back on track and supporting the victims of crime.

    “We’re looking for people with all sorts of backgrounds, aged between 18 to 65 years-old, and we’re particularly keen to hear from young adults."

    You can find out more here, external.

  16. Beech picks players for 'tall order' at Cheltenhampublished at 11:08 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    BBC Cumbria Sport

    Carlisle's head coach Chris Beech says the absence of forwards JJ Kayode and Gime Toure is an "opportunity" for the other players in his Brunton Park squad.

    Toure's serving the last game of his suspension, while Kayode's on international duty, and so will miss tomorrow's Carlisle game at home to Cheltenham, who he says will pose particular challenges.

    Brunton Park
    Quote Message

    That's promotes opportunities for others, we've done our homework on Cheltenham, their style, and their shape and the way they play, they've got six or seven players over 6ft, to deal with set pieces for and against, they've got a possession-based game."

    Chris Beech

  17. Weather on the fells: Windy with some cloudpublished at 10:42 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    • Temperature at 3,000ft (900m): Around 3C to 5C (37F to 41F)
    • Winds: There will be a fresh south-westerly with gusts reaching 40 mph on western fells and 45 mph on eastern fells in the afternoon
    • Cloud: There will be variable amounts through the day, with a base around 2,000ft to 2,500ft (600m to 800m)
    • Weather: Mainly cloudy, with some rain lingering at first, but becoming mostly dry for the rest of the day, with some sunny spells at times but also the chance of the odd shower
    • Visibility: Poor at times above 2,000ft (600m) in cloud, but good in the valleys.
  18. Henderson's cap brings cash windfall to Carlislepublished at 10:29 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    BBC Cumbria Sport

    Carlisle United are in for a big cash windfall - after Cumbria's Dean Henderson made his England debut in last night's 3-0 friendly win against the Republic of Ireland.

    The pay-off is part of the deal that took Henderson to Manchester United, from Carlisle, as a teenager.

    Dean HendersonImage source, EPA
  19. Driver injured in Carlisle rush hour collisionpublished at 10:06 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    A driver was injured in a rush-hour crash in Carlisle this morning, police say.

    She was taken to hospital with injuries that are not thought to be life threatening, after her Audi collided with a Vauxhall Corsa outside the Coach and Horses in Kingstown Road.

  20. County plans to increase tax by 1.99% in coming yearpublished at 09:02 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020

    Cumbria county council is proposing to increase council tax from next April by 1.99%, which would add around 55p a week to the typical Band D household.

    Officials say this would raise about £5m a year, but would mean the authority had to reduce its spending by £17m a year to allow for extra costs, some from Covid-19.

    Over the previous three years, councils have been allowed to raise an extra 2% on the tax, earmarked for social care, but a consultation document, external says it is not yet clear whether this will apply in the coming year, so it has not been built into the budget.

    Cumbria House, Carlisle