TWO top Cumbrian pubs have been named in this year's 2019 Good Pub Guide.

The Plough at Lupton and The Drunken Duck in Ambleside were both on the list, which has been compiled in association with The Times.

The newspaper cited the Plough's homely, cosy ambience and top notch grub as reasons for its inclusion, with particular reference to the slow cooked pork belly with Pommes Anna.

Paul Spencer the MD of the Cricketer's Inns, which owns the pub, said: “We are delighted to be recognised by a national publication such as The Times and the Good Pub Guide, it means a lot to us that the mention is based purely on nominations from the public.

“We are very proud to be one of the few representing our region, especially considering the plethora of fantastic pubs in our area.”

“We would just like to thank everyone that supports us and we hope we can continue to deliver a top-notch pub offering to you for many years to come.”

Paul has been operating inns in the North West for nearly three decades, he has previously been MD of both The Drunken Duck Inn and The Punchbowl at Crosthwaite as well as a consultant for Thwaites Inns of Character group.

The Good Pub Guide is renowned for its meticulous selection process and is one of only a few publications that rely purely on public recommendation and anonymous visits for pubs to be included in its book and website.