Summary

  • Met Office warns of 'very dangerous' freezing rain

  • Lakes festival founder called in to help set up USA event

  • Yard boss calls for investment in Barrow to stop town's population dwindling

  • Brexit 'could hit nuclear industry'

  1. Police appeal for help after Moor Row rapepublished at 14:09 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    Police say a teenage girl was raped in Moor Row, near Whitehaven, and they've appealed for witnesses.

    Officers say the attack happened on Halloween at some time between 15:30 and 17:30, on a path near Dalzell Street.

    Det Ch Insp Matt Scott said the attack had not been reported until 13 November, and detectives were now conducting "numerous enquiries".

    Officers are particularly interested in tracing a man described as white, more than 5ft 9in tall, with a greasy fringe covering his forehead, and of a large build.

    Police vanImage source, Cumbria Police
  2. Cumbria's weather: Very mild, cloudy and windypublished at 13:35 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    BBC Weather

    This afternoon will be mostly cloudy and blustery with occasional spots of rain in places but a lot of dry weather too.

    It will very mild for mid November albeit with a strong south-westerly wind and highest temperatures from 12C to 15C (54F to 59F).

    Weather graphic

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

  3. Peatland tree planting branded 'heartbreaking'published at 12:47 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    Conservationists say the move will dry out the habitat and release carbon into the atmosphere.

    Read More
  4. Latest figures show another 21 Covid-19 deaths in Cumbriapublished at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    Bob Cooper
    Political reporter, BBC Cumbria

    Another 20 people from Cumbria died with Covid-19 in the week to 6 November, according to the latest weekly figures, external.

    The weekly number of Cumbrians dying with the virus began to rise sharply in recent weeks these figures suggest a possible flattening-off.

    One more death in which Covid-19 was mentioned on the certificate, from previous weeks but not reported before, has been added to the county's total, bringing it to 637.

    Covid:How will university students go home for Christmas?

    Covid:Tracking the global coronavirus outbreak.

    Distancing marks on pavement
  5. Lockdown 'has exposed Cumbria's digital divide for pupils'published at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    Jason Rushworth

    Some Cumbrian school children are having to use mobile phones to do their homework, a Cumbria County Council’s scrutiny committee meeting was told.

    Child using laptopImage source, PA Media

    County councillor Val Tarbitt, the chairwoman of the scrutiny advisory board for children and young people, thinks the first lockdown exposed the shortfalls: “I was disappointed to learn from the Ofsted report that there are too many disadvantaged children learning at home on mobile phones.

    “If a child has only got a phone to access their distance learning, then this will never do."

    Other members said they had used funds available to them, or charities, to make sure extra devices such as tablets were available for pupils who did not have their own.

    Councillor Mark Wilson, who represents Ulverston, said he had seen a take up in computers being bought for children by a number of organisations wanting to help.

    Quote Message

    Perhaps it would have been better to have done this in a joined up way, instead of here and there?”

    Councillor Mark Wilson

  6. Weather on the fells: Windy with low cloud and hill fogpublished at 10:49 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    • Temperature at 3,000ft (900m): 8C to 10C (46F to 50F)
    • Winds: Strong south-westerly with 55mph gusts likely on eastern fells, and 40mph gusts along western fells
    • Cloud: Extensive cover with bases generally between 1,300ft and 2,000ft (400m to 600m) for much of the day, becoming even lower where the cloud is thick enough to produce some light rain or drizzle
    • Weather: An overcast but mostly dry day although there may be light rain or drizzle where the cloud is thick enough
    • Visibility: Generally good below 1,300ft (400m), but poor above this, with widespread hill fog
  7. Busy GPs say doctors' doors still open for serious illnesspublished at 10:33 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    Cumbria's GPs say they can see patients who need attention, but they've repeated calls for people to seek help from other sources, such as the local pharmacy or NHS 111, for what seem like less serious ailments.

    Dr David Wrigley, the vice chairman of the British Medical Association, is also a GP in Milnthorpe and Carnforth, where he says the pressures of working at the time of coronavirus have meant they are even busier than usual.

    Stock photo of doctor giving injectionImage source, Getty Images

    Dr Wrigley says that while local GPs will see patients who need a face-to-face consultation, most contact is by telephone or video, to avoid the risk of infection.

    Quote Message

    If you are unwell you must still contact your practice because the NHS is there for it when you need it, but we are asking people to consider other ways of helping."

    Dr David Wrigley

  8. Cumbria weather: Overcast, dry and feeling mildpublished at 08:06 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2020

    BBC Weather

    Largely overcast with little in the way of brightness.

    The morning should be largely dry but there will be some patchy, light rain in the afternoon.

    Unseasonably mild with fresh south-westerly winds, and temperatures of 14C (57F).

    You can follow the latest BBC Weather forecast where you live, by searching for your location here

    Weather graphic
  9. Self-isolating staff forces students to stay homepublished at 18:18 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    Infections are "relatively small" but all students should be tested, health bosses say.

    Read More
  10. Cumbria's weather: Wet, windy and becoming very mildpublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    BBC Weather

    It will be mainly cloudy with showers or spells of rain, heavy at times in the evening tapering off overnight to the chance of some patchy drizzly rain.

    Through the night it will be windy and mild with lowest temperatures from 6C to 9C (43F to 48F) early, and rising into the small hours.

    Weather graphic

    You can always find the detailed BBC weather forecast for where you are by typing in your postcode or location here.

  11. School goes online for a week after teachers self-isolatepublished at 16:37 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    A Cumbrian secondary school has told all its pupils they'll be learning from home this week because of coronavirus.

    Richard Rose Central AcademyImage source, Google

    The Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle says a "large proportion" of its teaching staff are self-isolating after being contacted by NHS Test and Trace.

    The county's director of public health is advising the parents of all the school's pupils to have them tested, whether or not they have any symptoms, in case they're spreading the virus without knowing.

  12. Barrow wins cash to create permanent shipyard cycle routespublished at 16:17 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    Barrow is to get £886,000 to spend on better facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, while Kendal has missed out on a grant of £700,000.

    The money was to make permanent facilities which were installed temporarily during the lockdown.

    The project in Barrow is on Michaelson Road and Bridge Road, both key commuter routes into the heart of the BAE shipyard.

    Cumbria County Council had asked for enough money to fund both projects, but was only given enough for the Barrow scheme.

  13. MP's request for Covid-19 mass test is turned downpublished at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    A request for a mass testing coronavirus programme for people in Sedbergh, after an outbreak at the local public school meant one of the board houses sent most of the boys who stay there home, has been turned down.

    SedberghImage source, Google

    The area's MP, Tim Farron, and local councillors had called for the testing because of fears about the outbreak spreading into the community.

    But after a meeting this afternoon, officials working with the county's director of public health said there was no evidence of spread into the community, with only four cases locally in the past fortnight, and staff from the school were being tested anyway.

    The county's public health staff are already involved in the testing of the remaining pupils and staff at the school, which has more than 550 pupils.

    Quote Message

    We considered this request carefully but based on the evidence we currently have, mass testing of the whole local population is not warranted."

    Colin Cox, Cumbria director of public health

  14. Police hope video will help care for sex attack victimspublished at 14:59 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    It's hoped that more victims of rape and sexual assault will come forward in Cumbria, because of a new film which explains the forensic examinations that are needed to gather essential DNA evidence.

    The County's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, the Bridgeway in Penrith, has put together a film to show to victims, before they undergo the procedure.

    Stock picture of anonymous womanImage source, Getty Images

    Aimee, who is 20, is a survivor of sexual assault and she told the BBC the process was an overwhelming experience because she didn't know what was expected of her.

    Quote Message

    I would have definitely found it a lot better if I had been shown that video first because it would have put some of my worries at ease."

    Aimee

  15. It's daft: Dunn his out again at FA Cup tie reschedulingpublished at 14:21 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    BBC Cumbria Sport

    Barrow manager David Dunn says asking his team to play three games in six days calls into question the integrity of League Two and the FA Cup.

    His side will have to play Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday next week because of the rescheduling of their postponed FA Cup tie against Wimbledon.

    The Barrow boss says that means he simply WON'T be able to put out his strongest team as a consequence.

    David Dunn
    Quote Message

    It really is daft, it's daft and I think anyone with an ounce of football brains about them ... it's ridiculous to expect a team to play three games in six days."

    David Dunn

  16. Cumbria's weather: Cloudy, windy and mild with rain laterpublished at 13:17 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    BBC Weather

    Today will continue mainly cloudy, windy and mild with a chance of a few showers in the early afternoon and rain developing from the west later.

    Highest temperatures will be from 9C to 12C (48F to 54F).

    Weather graphic

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

  17. Major restoration work begins on Ribblehead Viaductpublished at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    A £2m project is under way to repair a Yorkshire railway landmark.

    RibbleheadImage source, Network Rail

    The Grade II-listed Ribblehead Viaduct, which is 104ft high, opened in 1875 and carries the Settle to Carlisle railway line.

    Network Rail said it needed to re-point eroded mortar joints and replace broken stones on all 24 arches which span the 1,318ft-long structure.

    The repair work is expected to finish by the end of February.

    Owned by Network Rail, bosses said it had taken "months of painstaking work to refine the plans", which included analysing 10 samples of mortar from the viaduct "to ensure the mix used in the repair will be as close to the original as possible".

    Ribblehead ViaductImage source, Network Rail
  18. Engineers battle storms to complete huge 'plumbing job'published at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    Around 2.5k (1.6 miles) of new pipes have been laid in the first such major repair to the Haweswater Aqueduct near Kendal since it was built 65 years ago as a huge "plumbing job"

    Haweswater new pipesImage source, United Utilities

    The water company United Utilities, says 180 engineers worked for eight days at Hallbank, near Kendal, to install four new pipes at the aqueduct, which provides a third of the water supply for the North West.

    It was only the third time in its history that the pipeline has been drained, and the project director John Hilton, who has been there every time says this was the most difficult.

    Quote Message

    This time were were working during a pandemic, and we had biblical rain like you wouldn't believe."

    John Hilton

  19. Weather on the fells: Gales, with rain this eveningpublished at 10:42 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    • Temperature at 3,000ft (900m): 2C to 4C (36F to 39F)
    • Winds: Gale force westerly to southwesterly, with 40mph to 50mph gusts likely in the morning and afternoon, up to 60mph on the eastern fells
    • Cloud: Bases generally above 2,000ft (600m) for much of the day, but dropping to 1,000ft (300m) with any early morning showers, or late evening rain
    • Weather: Blustery showers early this morning, possibly wintry on the hills or summits, turning drier and brighter later in the morning, but a significant chill factor with the brisk south-westerly winds, then becoming cloudier and wet towards the evening, but less chilly
    • Visibility: Generally good, but poor in any early morning showers and becoming poor later in the evening
    • Freezing level: Close to the top of the summits at first, above summits this afternoon.
  20. Health chief: Coronavirus spread may be stabilisingpublished at 10:25 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2020

    Coronavirus figures for Cumbria suggest that the lockdown may be having a positive impact, according to Cumbria's Director of Public Health, Colin Cox.

    Last week, Carlisle had 293 new cases, the highest number in the county for the third week in a row, but Dr Cox says he's not as worried as he was about the city, or Copeland and Allerdale.

    His weekly report showed, external 999 new cases across the county as a whole, but declines in Barrow and South Lakeland.

    Colin Cox
    Quote Message

    The numbers have certainly stabilised and started looking as if they are dropping down a little bit now."

    Colin Cox