A NEW report slamming Morecambe as on its last legs' has won the backing of the resort's MP. Geraldine Smith says the long-term vision published by the Northwest Development Agency is realistic'. She agrees that the resort is unlikely to get back to the
POLICE have issued a warning to local women to keep a firm grip on their handbags after four separate incidents in Lancaster and Morecambe. The three handbag snatches - and one attempted snatch - appear to be the work of opportunist' thieves and are probably
Chill out with a cappuccino, drape yourself across a sumptuous sofa or have a spell surfin' the Internet. Just a few things to do (as well as check out the visuals) at Lancaster's new look arthouse. Re-launched (or re-branded?), the Folly propelled itself
AMBLESIDE artists Jill Aldersley and her 93-year-old mother F. Marie Destelle have teamed up for an exhibition at the Windermere Steamboat Museum daily until April 30. Jill and her mum have made quite a number of painting trips to Skye in recent years
MEET the fabulous baker boy David Smith, of Ambleside's Apple Pie Eating House - who has once again swept the board in a national competition. Five firsts, eight seconds, and ten third places, not to mention numerous highly commended and commended certificates
I'm one of the Mums who has profited by the Communigate Gulf families support scheme. We don't get your paper in this area of the North West (just outside Preston) and I knew nothing about Communigate though I think it's a brilliant idea especially in
SPRING seems to have arrived all in a rush this year, with everything growing so quickly in the garden it's hard to keep track of it all. The daffodils seem to have gone over very quickly whilst spring bulbs like bluebells and wood anemones are rushing
DOOR handles, bell pushers and window fasteners don't usually attract much attention in our homes, but at the Holbeck Ghyll Hotel even the smallest features have been lifted out of the ordinary. The beautiful country hotel boasts some fabulous examples
Ever since restoration work at Blackwell, the beautiful turn-of-the-century holiday retreat overlooking Windermere, was completed and the property was opened to the public in 2001, renewed interest has been sparked in the Arts and Crafts Movement, which
A thrilling climbing wall challenge will bring the Cumbrian Mountain Festival to its exciting climax this Easter. The Rock, a computerised spinning, tilting climbing wall, has been seen on television programmes such as Tomorrow's World and Blue Peter
Lovers of fine furniture and antiques have a new venue to check out in Kirkby Stephen. Heart of Oak Gallery is the latest development at the former church building which now houses the town's post office and Emporium. Owners Jackie and David Semple discovered
CUMBRIA County Council's education welfare service has launched its school attendance campaign Truancyonly a fool would miss school - to raise awareness of how important regular school attendance is to a child's education and future. Pupils who fail to
CUMBRIA County Council's education welfare service has launched its school attendance campaign Truancyonly a fool would miss school - to raise awareness of how important regular school attendance is to a child's education and future. Pupils who fail to
THE Vale of Lune Hunt point-to-point steeplechases at Whittington take place on Easter Saturday. A top-class entry from all over the country is expected for the six-race card over the 18 fences in the picturesque Lune Valley setting. The first race is
TWO Ulverston policemen were among a group of 11 offices presented with awards after their quick-thinking and decisive actions resulted in a substantial amount of drugs being seized. On January 18 last year PC Michael Lackey and PC Mark Jordan, of the
LANCASTER mum Jennifer Wilson will have her bone marrow transplant today (Thursday) - just days after a Citizen appeal helped to find her a donor. The 35-year-old mum, who is suffering from a rare form of leukaemia, was admitted to Manchester's Christie
A KENDAL pub has cleaned up' in a top culinary competition. The Gateway Inn at Plumgarths scooped the Best Kept Kitchen award dished out by Daniel Thwaites Brewery after a contest involving pubs across the North West. Licensee Lynn Ball beat off stern
Magazine columnist Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) has a very unusual assignment and a rapidly approaching deadline. She has to write a first-hand account of all the things that women do to inadvertently drive men awayand she's got to do it in 10 days. Now
With the Easter break upon us and summer on the way it's worth a look on the Internet to get a taste of some of the many attractions on our doorstep. From contemporary art at Grizedale to giant lobsters at the Aquarium of the Lakes, there's a lot going
-Mulch shrub beds with a thick layer of compost, manure or bark to cut down on summer weeding and moisture loss. -Plant pot-grown evergreen shrubs this month, but remember to water them regularly if the weather is dry. -Begin to stake early flowering
Expand your horticultural horizons by growing plants under glass - Sue Tasker, head gardener at the Lake District Visitor Centre, at Brockhole, near Windermere, and writer of a weekly gardening column in The Westmorland Gazette's leisure section, offers
The thorns guarding the door to Purgatory seem real enough here in Ruskin's garden but on closer inspection the coils of angry looking barbs are moulded rubber. This is clearly no ordinary place. Due to open to the public on May 20, the garden is inching
HOUSEHOLDERS keen to tool-up with the skills to help them fix a dripping tap, sort out a sticking door or even understand what all those cryptic washing symbols mean on clothes tags are being offered a new guide that promises to be simplicity itself.
When you think about decorating a room at home, do you reach for the paint pot and brush, or hanker after a stylish roll of wallpaper? Over the last few years, more and more of us have apparently put away our wallpaper paste tables in favour of the ever-expanding
AN INNOVATIVE farm diversification idea has taken one Eden Valley family into the unlikely territory of lingerie and wedding dresses. "I like to do things a bit differently," explained Tina Strong, as she described how she came up with the idea for The
The new Kirkby Stephen Cycle Centre was officially opened Eden district councillor Trevor Ladhams. The centre at Station Yard is the only business of its kind in the Upper Eden Valley, offering bicycles for sale and hire, a repair service and a growing
PENRITH and the Border MP David Maclean has attacked Gordon Brown's budget. Mr Maclean claims it will mean more taxes, more spending, more borrowing, more promises, more failure, more excuses, and still no results. Speaking after last week's budget, Mr
ULSTERMAN Michael Hutchinson (Team MDT Giant) comfortably overcame the challenge of Preston's Gethin Butler to win Sunday's Booths Grand Prix/Rudy Project Series time trial around Windermere. The pony-tailed flier covered the testing 25 miles circuit
THE curtain came down on the Kendal Winter League season with Inverclyde's Tom Tipping winning the final race on Kendal's Helm Hill, writes Mike Addison. Tipping, who lives in Kendal, was a clear victor with nearly two minutes between him and second placed
A motorist who turned into a road with new "no entry" signs has complained of harsh treatment after she was given an on-the-spot fine and points on her licence. Lucy Gough, 48, was driving in heavy traffic on Milnthorpe Road in Kendal and decided to turn
A new mobile speed camera project to stop motorists driving fast through recognised accident black spots has been launched, reports Ellis Butcher. It aims to cut the number of deaths and serious accidents on roads in Cumbria by 15 per cent between now
A campaign to encourage visitors to take greater advantage of green transport when holidaying in the Lake District has been launched. It aimed to illustrate how the area can be explored by boat, bike or bus. The campaign was organised by the Windermere
PEOPLE living in The Westmorland Messenger area are set to benefit from a new community transport scheme being launched today (Wednesday, April 16) at Newton Rigg. The Eden Brokerage, operated by North Cumbria Community Transport, is a minibus-sharing
INDUSTRIAL action by council workers set to take effect from midnight today (Thurday) has been suspended after employees met bosses on Tuesday night. Refuse collectors, street-cleansing workers and toilet cleaners at Lancaster City Council voted for industrial
A GROUP set up to help forces' families during the war with Iraq has been inundated with offers of gifts for the troops from local people and businesses. Founder member Irene Moran, of Morecambe, says she has been amazed at the response after she contacted
