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. Driver cut from wreckage after A66 crash near Keswickpublished at 11:09 Greenwich Mean Time 27 October 2020

    A 34-year-old man from Appleby was cut from his Ford Fiesta by firefighters after he left the A66 near Keswick and hit a tree.

    He was was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle but his injuries are not said to be life-threatening.

  2. Weather on the fells: Mostly wet, improving laterpublished at 10:43 Greenwich Mean Time 27 October 2020

    • Temperatures at 3,000ft (900m): around 4C (40F)
    • Winds: Southerly 20mph gusting to 30 mph in the morning becoming southwesterly at 20mph to 30mph with gusts to 45mph in the afternoon
    • Cloud: Cloud bases extensive 1,300ft to 2,000ft (400m to 600m) in the morning, becoming broken around 2,000ft to 2,600ft (600m to 800m) late in the day
    • Weather: Cloudy with rain, possibly heavy at times, in the morning tapering to showers later, with strong winds developing in the afternoon as rain clears away
    • Visibility: Poor or very poor in rain and hill fog in the morning, becoming good later in the afternoon, but occasionally still poor in patchy hill fog and showers
  3. Ministers earmark money to bypass 'farmyard' on A595published at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time 27 October 2020

    In a second announcement for South Cumbria, the Department for Transport has promised £13m for a new stretch of the A595 to bypass a notorious bottleneck.

    A595 bottleneckImage source, Google

    The improvements would see a new stretch of road built to replace the section through Dove Farm, at Grizebeck, addressing a pinch point that's caused problems for years.

    Ministers say it will make journeys faster and safer, with the upgrade also including new crossing for farm vehicles and cyclists.

    Work should start in 2022.

  4. Barrow clinches £25m grant 'to help young people stay'published at 09:50 Greenwich Mean Time 27 October 2020

    Barrow will be one of the first towns in the country to benefit, to the tune of £25m, from the government's Towns Fund.

    View of Barrow dock and townImage source, Google

    The town at the end of the Furness peninsula is one of the first seven communities to have a funding offer made as part of the £3.6 billion Government scheme

    The money will pay for measures aiming to make it a more attractive place for young people to live and work, with new housing and a learning quarter with a university campus.

    The borough council leader Ann Thomson hopes this will also offer something to the town's young people, whether or not they want to work at the main employer, the BAE shipyard.

    Quote Message

    A lot of people have been worried that it's only going to cater for BAE, but isn't, it's going to be an all-skills university, which will do a lot of nursing, health, social care and other things which young people really want to do."

    Ann Thomson

  5. Health chief: Infection rates varying widely across countypublished at 09:29 Greenwich Mean Time 27 October 2020

    There are wide variations in the levels of coronavirus infection in Cumbria, according to the director of public health, Colin Cox.

    Figures up to the end of last week show the rate of new infections ranging from 89 per 100,000 people in Allerdale to 262.5 in Barrow, with the England average at 200, and Cumbria's average at 170.

    Most of the county is under tier one - medium alert, apart from Barrow, at tier two - high alert.

    Colin Cox

    Dr Cox says the rate of infection in Barrow dropped very slightly last week, suggesting the higher restrictions may be working, but it's still increasing elsewhere and he is now worried about Carlisle.

    Quote Message

    It's now sitting at significantly over the England average .. a higher level than it was at Barrow when we asked fo Barrow to be put in tier two restrictions."

    Colin Cox

  6. John marches on to victory at end of Hadrian's Wallpublished at 09:11 Greenwich Mean Time 27 October 2020

    John Myatt has braved the winds and rain the rain and marched on to complete his 91-mile walk along the length of Hadrian's Wall in a pair of swimming trunks and a Roman helmet.

    He set off from Wallsend on Friday morning and arrived at Bowness-on-Solway yesterday evening, raising money for the charity Rugby for Heroes.

    The 48-year-old is no stranger to cold temperatures having previously swam the Channel and taken part in the International Ice Swimming Championships in Russia.

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  7. Cumbria weather: Wet start to the day, drier laterpublished at 08:09 Greenwich Mean Time 27 October 2020

    BBC Weather

    Rain will spread in from the southwest this morning under cloudy, grey skies.

    This will move through into the afternoon keeping things dull and wet.

    Temperatures reaching 9C (48F).

    This evening it'll turn drier with perhaps a few scattered showers.

    And you can check the latest BBC Weather where you live, here

    Weather graphic
  8. Cumbria's weather: Showers lingering and turning chillypublished at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 26 October 2020

    BBC Weather

    An isolated shower and patchy cloud will linger for a time this evening, and may persist in some regions.

    Where skies clear, it will feel quite chilly as winds will ease overnight, with lowest temperatures down to 4C to 7C (39F to 45F).

    Weather graphic

    The Met Office has posted a yellow warning of heavy rain , externalfor later this week, saying up to 80mm (3in) could fall on higher ground between noon on Thursday and the end of Friday.

    And you can always find the latest, hour-by-hour, BBC weather forecast for where you are, by typing in your location or postcode here.

  9. Around Cumbria, cafes cook up a free storm for half termpublished at 16:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 October 2020

    Martin Lewes
    Reporter

    A number of organisations and businesses around Cumbria are offering meals for children who would normally have free school lunches.

    Family in Gatehouse CafeImage source, Gatehouse Cafe

    Some are cafes, like the Gatehouse in Carlisle (above), where owner Val Armstrong's efforts were backed up by Jojo Scott and Faye Roberts from the Healthy Living Fitness Kitchen, (below), who made up 200 meals.

    Jojo Scott and Faye RobertsImage source, Gatehouse Cafe
    Quote Message

    We’re going to be feeding lots of people really good food. So proud of people’s generosity."

    Val Armstrong

    Other cafes providing meals around Cumbria included Joey's Cafe in Kendal, the Sunnyhill in Whitehaven and Berry's Tearoom in Brampton, where the owner, Lesley Berry, says she shouldn't have to do it, but she is determined to help.

    Quote Message

    If there's a need for it, I'm damned sure I'm going to do it."

    Lesley Berry

  10. Ribblehead viaduct prepares for restorationpublished at 16:38 Greenwich Mean Time 26 October 2020

    Work is under way to improve passenger and freight journeys over the Ribblehead viaduct.

    The landmark structure, just over the border from Cumbria in North Yorkshire, carries the Settle-Carlisle railway.

    RIbblehead viaductImage source, Network Rail
    Quote Message

    The work being carried out will ensure future generations are able to enjoy one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the UK.”

    Steve Hopkinson, Northern

    The 144-year-old viaduct will have its drainage improved and brickwork restored between now and February 2021, including:

    • brickwork repairs
    • removal of vegetation and repairing the damage caused by plants and weeds
    • upgrades to drainage across the viaduct’s 24 arches
    • repainting metal and pipework

    Engineers are installing scaffolding to provide a safe platform to carry out repairs to the 400m structure.

    No major disruption is expected for passengers using the Settle-Carlisle line during the viaduct's 2020 maintenance.

    RIbblehead Viaduct close up of the worksImage source, Network Rail
    Quote Message

    The Ribblehead viaduct was once seen as the route's major weakness. It is now probably stronger than it was when the Victorians built it. This work is needed to keep it that way.”

    Paul Brown, Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line

  11. So does this mean three pots of gold in Flookburgh?published at 16:17 Greenwich Mean Time 26 October 2020

    BBC Weather Watchers

    After a very wet morning in Cumbria, the sun came out behind the showers, and in Flookburgh Louise Farrington saw it create three rainbows.

    Rainbows at different anglesImage source, Louise Farrington

    Louise was kind enough to send the picture to our colleagues at Salford, but you can also email them or tweet them, external directly to us.

  12. Covid-19 support services put on single website mappublished at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 26 October 2020

    Cumbria's charities, councils and health services have put together a new help package, external which they say can put people in touch with problems stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.

    A single webpage is intended to put people in touch with help close to their home, whether they need support because they are in quarantine and cannot leave home, feeling mental strain or need help with problems like alcohol.

    Detail of map on websiteImage source, Cumbria County Council

    Councillor Deborah Earl, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities, said people "might feel overwhelmed, scared or find yourself in a position you have never experienced before."

    And Carolyn Otley, Chair of Cumbria’s Local Community Resilience Group, said the financial pressures on some people were increasing: “We want people to know there is help available, it’s ok to look for that help and it’s ok to talk to a friend or family member or to someone else about how you are feeling."

    • The services and contacts are also available by telephone during office hours on 0800 783 1966.