TOP-LEVEL politicians across Cumbria were poised to hear legal advice this week about the county's future roll in the regional assembly. As previously reported, Lancashire County Council withdrew from the assembly last month after QC Eldred Tabachnik
IF THE North West votes for its own assembly next year Cumbria looks set to be carved up, wiping out six district councils and a county council. The Government has made it clear that a regional assembly would come hand in hand with new single tier unitary
A VAST chunk of England from the buzzing urban streets of Manchester and Liverpool to remote Westmorland farmland is poised to change. When Tony Blair stepped into number ten he pledged to breathe new life into local government sweeping away existing
THE Ministry of Defence has established casualty helpline numbers for concerned relatives of serving armed forces personnel in the Gulf. The following numbers must only be used by people who have reason to believe a serving relative may have been injured
TENSIONS between the United States and France in the wake of the Iraqi conflict have led to an unexpected trade boost for a renowned North Yorkshire cheese firm, writes Michaela Robinson-Tate. As their patriotic customers turn up their noses at French
A website set up by a Kendal mum to provide emotional support for forces' families has received nearly 500 hits in its first week. Pam Flitcroft, of Lound Road, set up the online forum where families, fiancs and friends of those fighting in the Gulf can
MILNTHORPE bus users may have to endure more hanging about in the rain as the town's parish council raided funds earmarked for building bus shelters to save a public toilet. At an emergency session, parish councillors decided to spend more than a penny
COFFERS at South Lakeland District Council have been buoyed up by a healthy half-million pounds thanks to a leisure centre rate rebate. The news comes in the same week that SLDC handed over day-to-day management of its Kendal and Ulverston leisure centres
Politicians in South Lakeland are demanding control over how a predicted £1.6 million windfall will be spent when the discount for Council Tax on second homes is abolished. A leading district councillor has even said it would be "madness" for the authority
KIRKBY Stephen Ladies First XI knew only a win against Manchester with plenty of goals was keep them in the North Feeder League and they rose the occasion with a 10-0 victory. The omens were good from the outset with Ruth Stickings putting Kirkby ahead
JOE Symonds became the 11th winner of a Kendal Winter League race by triumphing in the 13th event of the season that was centred on Arant Haw in the Howgills. The Kendal athlete held off a strong challenged posed by Howgill's Peter Brittleton to win this
SUBSTITUTE Craig Walmsley netted a deserved equaliser six minutes from time as Kendal salvaged a draw from their fourth consecutive away fixture. Defensive mistakes have cost Peter Smith's side dearly of late and after just three minutes winger Gary Prosser
THERE was an end-of-season air about Tuesday night's match at Parkside, writes Dennis Aris. With thoughts of a play-off place little more than a dream Kendal spent much of the game resorting to the easy option of long ball football, which rarely unsettled
THE FLATNESS of Kendal's display in their final home match - effectively a goodbye to National League 2 rugby at Mint Bridge for the time being - was as disappointing as much as it was unexpected, writes Richard Daniels. All heart seemed to go out of
THE UPWARD curve that sent Kendal soaring into rugby's National League stratosphere three seasons ago finally dipped on Saturday when relegation into a regionalised division was confirmed, writes Richard Daniels. It comes at a watershed moment in the
PREVIOUSLY unseen and unpublished watercolours by Beatrix Potter which foretold the characters of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny have been snapped up by a dealer for more than £40,000. The watercolours were painted by Potter in 1892 or 1893, and were
AN ENVELOPE which arrived in Kendal from the lower reaches of the Zambezi in 1860, has posed an historical mystery, reports Helen Long. The hand-made envelope, addressed by legendary explorer Dr David Livingstone, raised £1,092 when it was auctioned in
The notorious A590 High and Low Newton bypass scheme moved one step closer to being given the green light this week when it received the backing of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Campaigners are now hopeful the £11 million scheme will be given the
ULVERSTON electronics firm Oxley Developments has secured a £1 million contract to supply new lights to the Royal Air Force's Tornado jets. The contract will enhance the Tornados' night vision capability that is being used in the war in Iraq. The Light
REFUGES for women and children fleeing violent partners are in line for a £1.8 million cash injection across the North West, including six units in South Lakeland and six in Eden. The cash is part of £18.8 million of national funding allocated within
THE county's schools are set to get a share of £9.9 million to tackle a backlog of repairs and improvements. Schools Minister David Miliband announced the windfall as part of a national £162 million investment over the next three years to improve school
For once, Cumbria County Council is to be credited with defusing a potential political time bomb over a council tax windfall from the owners of second homes. South Lakeland has been actively and vociferously involved in a sustained campaign to get rid
SOUTH Lakeland and other rural areas of the North West could lose out badly if plans for regional government laid out in November's Queen's Speech go ahead, according to Westmorland and Lonsdale's Conservative MP Tim Collins. Government ministers claim
A Swarthmoor mother whose 26-year-old son is serving in the Gulf has spoken of her daily anguish of not knowing where he is or what he is doing. Colin and Olive Opie, of Park Avenue, have not heard anything from their son, Corporal Colin Opie, for more
A SILVERDALE family is enduring sleepless nights as their two sons serve with the Royal Marines in the Gulf. For Paul and Kath Bromilow, parents of Mark, 23, with Commando Logistics, and Mike, 21, with 4/2 Commando, the old adage no news is good news'
AS TROOPS are poised to begin the ground assault on Baghdad, Eden families are enduring tormenting times as their sons fight in the Gulf. Sub-postmistress at Kirkby Stephen, Jackie Semple, is trying to get on with life "as normal" while her 18-year-old
MINISTERS could be keeping a close eye on Cumbria County Council in future after the Government said it saw no justification for some of the high Council Tax increases in the country this year. Council Tax bills in the county are set to rise by 11.9 per
Emotions ran high on a night when Cumbria paid tribute to the extraordinary achievements of some of its previously unsung heroes. An audience of 230 invited guests at the Excellence in Cumbria Awards was enthralled by tales illustrating how the power
EUROPE union officials will have a real fight on their hands if they plan to push through an "unworkable" sheep tagging scheme set to cost British farming £96 million a year. Recent figures produced by DEFRA estimate that introducing the proposals to
"THERE are still 15 league points to play for and we want to finish as high as we can, but above all I want the squad to enjoy their football for the the rest of the season," said manager Peter Smith. "I thought the lads did well at Stocksbridge, particularly
A RARE 150-year-old Kendal bank note is predicted to fetch up to £500 at auction in London next month. The monochrome £5 note, which was issued in the early 1800s by the Bank of Westmorland, will be up for grabs to the highest bidder when it is auctioned
PREVIOUSLY unseen and unpublished watercolours by Beatrix Potter which foretold the characters of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny have been snapped up by a dealer for more than £40,000. The watercolours were painted by Potter in 1892 or 1893, and were
A HELICOPTER landing pad is to be built in the Storrs Park area of Windermere after planners gave it their blessing. Ken Scowcroft, founder of Swinton Insurance, applied to the Lake District National Park Authority for permission to build a helipad, hanger
The search for this year's Ulverston carnival queen has been launched. On Wednesday, April 9, all applicants for the royal' position are invited along to the Conservative Club, on Buxton Street car park, in Ulverston, at 7pm. Each girl will be formally
The notorious A590 High and Low Newton bypass scheme moved one step closer to being given the green light this week when it received the backing of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Campaigners are now hopeful the £11 million scheme will be given the
NINE firearms and replica weapons have been handed in at police stations throughout Cumbria as part of a nationwide amnesty. Shotguns, air weapons and firearms ammunition were among the items surrendered by members of the public. Meanwhile, police have
THE Prince of Wales is visiting two charitable organisations in Barrow next week. On Friday, April 11, Prince Charles will visit Community Action Furness, CAF, at Victoria Hall, on Rawlinson Street, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary; and Age Concern
THE Prince of Wales is visiting two charitable organisations in Barrow next week. On Friday, April 11, Prince Charles will visit Community Action Furness, CAF, at Victoria Hall, on Rawlinson Street, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary; and Age Concern
MILLIONS of pounds could be unlocked to create a major open-air recreation complex for Kendal's sport enthusiasts in a land deal offered to Kendal Cricket Club, reports Rachel Kitchen. A developer has approached cricket club bosses with a view to buying
AN international consortium of private investors is primed to plough millions of pounds into visionary plans to build a bridge linking south Cumbria with North Lancashire, reports Mike Addison. Proposals to construct a 12-mile causeway between the ports
