Here are photos of the various counts going on around Cumbria in Friday's early hours.

Mark McAlindon
BBC Look North

Counting is under way for the directly elected mayor of Copeland, with three candidates vying for the post.

The result is expected to be announced in the early hours, as are the ones for South Lakeland, Allerdale and Eden councils where one third of the seats are up for grabs, and Barrow, where all 36 are being contested.

Voting has also taken place for one third of the seats on Carlisle City Council, with the count taking place on Friday.

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the council and mayoral election results.

We'll be with you through the night bringing you the results as they happen.

If you want to get in touch or send us a photo you can email us, use Twitter where we're @BBC_Cumbria, external, or head to our Facebook page, external.

Martin Lewes
Reporter

We've now stepped back to let the software post major breaking news and travel reports through the night. Here's a reminder of some of today's developments:

• The Cumbrian MP Rory Stewart found himself propelled into the Cabinet by some governmental musical chairs after the sacking of the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson
• One of Britain's top diplomats, a former private secretary to the Foreign Secretary, told us how a Wyndham School teacher's encouragement set her off on a globe-trotting career
• And a Lake District photographer won two prizes in an international competition for food photography, without one dish in shot!

We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow.

If you want to pass on news you think we should know, or share a photo with the county, you can email us, use Twitter where we're @BBC_Cumbria, external, or head to our Facebook page, external.

Have a very good evening.

Police say they are concerned about Simon Denman, 62, last seen on 26 April in Victoria Terrace in Whitehaven.

Image source, Family photo/Cumbria Police

Officers say he is 5ft 5in, slim, and speaks with a Liverpool accent.

He was wearing a black coat and blue jeans, and carrying a black backpack.

BBC Weather

Showers should ease tonight although a few may linger throughout.

It will be rather cloudy with limited clear spells and it will become rather chilly with temperatures from 0C to 3C (32F to 37F).

You can always find the latest BBC weather forecast for where you are, here.

Black Combe Junior School in Millom, which closed today because of a water leak, will remain shut until 7 May for repairs.

Observers watching the Bassenthwaite ospreys, external say they are now believe at least one egg has been laid after seeing the resident male, known as Unring, mating with a female.

The female has apparently chosen a nesting platform not fitted with video cameras, but birdwatchers say there is a good view from Dodd Wood.

Visitors to Talking Tarn near Carlisle have been warned to park more carefully after police tested whether a fire engine would be able to get through to the village, and found that it couldn't.

Image source, Google

Officers say that with a new car park at the Tarn End Hotel, there is now ample parking and extra patrols will be out at the weekend.

BBC News Travel

The road between Dalston and Durdar is likely to be closed for the rest of this week after a water main burst.

A new centre for helping people recover from serious head injuries will open in the Lake District later this year, after the Calvert Trust, external raised more than £1m towards the project

A tithe barn, Old Windebrowe, on the outskirts of Keswick, is being converted into a rehabilitation centre that can accommodate up to 15 people at a time.

Staff at the Calvert Trust say the centre will combine "the latest thinking in neurology with accessible, life-changing outdoor challenges".

The fundraising began three years ago by auctioning art from a sculpture train, which brought in £225,000.

Three people died in two separate crashes on the M74 just north of the Scottish border this morning near Ecclefechan.

Just after 21:00 last night a Ford Fiesta heading south crashed, and the 22-year-old male driver died.

Two female passengers, aged 19 and 16, were also taken to the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary with what police said were serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Image source, Antony Charles Analore

The motorway was closed for several hours as police investigated what had happened.

Then soon after 06:00 this morning, as the road was reopened, the 57-year-old driver of a van and his 17-year-old passenger were both killed in a collision with a heavy goods vehicle on the northbound carriageway.

The road has now been reopened again.

A convicted armed robber who turned to religion during a long prison sentence has been appointed as a new vicar in Carlisle.

Image source, Carlisle Diocese

Reverend Matt Martinson, seen here with his son Seth and wife Haley, started getting into trouble at the age of 12, and had an unsuccessful army career, eventually being given an 11-year sentence for armed robbery.

While in jail, he came to faith and eventually was ordained in 2010, although during his theological training he had suffered health problems which mean he now uses a wheelchair.

Matt has now been appointed the new priest in charge of Carlisle Holy Trinity and St Barnabas Team Ministry, and St Luke’s, and he and his family move to back Cumbria from Hull in June.

He sent the girl, who was really a police officer, a sexual message within 18 minutes of meeting her.

A Lake District photographer has won two prizes in an international competition for food photography, with two pictures, neither of which shows a dish.

Image source, Tiree Dawson

Preparing for the Nighshift shows a pizza van being set up for a wedding party, and it won the Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer category, while a picture of young girl with an apple won the Pink Lady Apple a Day award.

The competition, external attracted 9,000 entries from 77 countries.

BBC Cumbria Sport

Carlisle United manager Steven Pressley has confirmed midfielder Callum O'Hare (pictured left) will be fit to play in Saturday's game at Yeovil Town, which the Cumbrians must win to make the play-offs.

Image source, Getty Images

The on-loan Aston Villa player was forced off with a head injury shortly after scoring in last week's 4-2 win over Crawley

Fellow midfielder Jamie Devitt will be assessed over the next 48 hours.

BBC Weather

There's a risk of showers this afternoon, possibly heavy, but with sunny intervals as well.

The winds will be gentle and the highest temperatures from 11C to 14C (52F to 57F).

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