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Live Reporting

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  1. Our live coverage across the day

    Lee Macaulay

    Journalist, BBC Cumbria

    That's all from BBC Cumbria Live for today. 

    Here's a recap of what went on in the county: 

    We'll be back tomorrow from 08:00.

    Until then, if you have pictures you'd like to share or a story we should know about, you can email ustweet us or get in touch through our Facebook page.

  2. Cumbria Police responds to £250k informants payout

    More now on a story we brought you earlier about the county's police force spending more than £250,000 on informants.

    Cumbria Police sent us this statement:

    Quote Message: The police use of covert human intelligence sources (chis) is heavily regulated by parliament. The regulation of Investigatory powers (RIPA) gives clear guidance and oversight arrangements which are supplemented by Codes of practice issued by the home office and also the manual of Minimum Standards for Covert Human Intelligence Sources."
  3. Weather: Clear spells with patchy frost in places

    BBC Weather

    Cold air brings clear spells with a patchy frost in places. 

    A couple of light showers with some sleet or snow over the hills. Lows falling to about -1C.

    Check the forecast for your area with BBC Weather

    Evening weather for Carlisle
  4. Cloudy Catbells

    Graham Johnston sent us this photo taken today at Derwentwater with Catbells in the background.

    If you've got a photo you'd like us to use, why not email ustweet us or get in touch through our Facebook page.   

    Derwentwater with Catbells in the background
  5. Police search for Cumbrian sex offender in Blackpool

    Lancashire Police are appealing to trace a Cumbrian man who has breached a court order following a conviction for child abduction and sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16.

    Jayson Stephens, 33, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for the offences in 2012.

    Officers believe he has travelled to the Blackpool area away from the approved premises he moved to in Carlisle following his release in March 2016.

    Quote Message: We are urging anyone who has seen or knows where Stephens is to contact police immediately. He is a dangerous individual and we need to find him as soon as possible. Likewise, if Stephens sees this appeal, I would urge him to hand himself in." from Detective Constable Emma Shuttleworth Lancashire Police
    Detective Constable Emma ShuttleworthLancashire Police
    Jayson Stephens
  6. West Cumbrian MP urges PM to visit 'parlous' roads and railways

    The Labour MP for Workington Sue Hayman has asked Prime Minister Theresa May to visit Cumbria to see parts of the county's transport infrastructure that are in need of improvement.

    She told the Commons that many MPs have realised how badly improvements are needed after travelling to West Cumbria as part of the Copeland by-election campaign:

    Quote Message: It's taken a by-election for transport ministers to look seriously and show any real interest in the situation." from Sue Hayman Labour MP for Copeland
    Sue HaymanLabour MP for Copeland

    The Prime Minister did not make any promises to visit the county and said that the government was investing in transport infrastructure across the UK:

    Quote Message: I have to say to her - the Labour Party had thirteen years to improve transport in West Cumbria but didn't do anything about it." from Theresa May Prime Minister
    Theresa MayPrime Minister
  7. Watch: Staff to be trained in mental health first aid

    William Howard School in Brampton is training some of its staff to be mental health first aiders to help anxious or worried children.

    View more on facebook
  8. Carlisle hosts first race meeting of the year

    BBC Radio Cumbria Sport

    Trainers Jonjo O'Neill, Mick Channon, David Pipe and Donald McCain have all entered runners into the first race meeting of the year at Carlisle Racecourse.

    The racecourse says it will be spending £150,000 on improvements over 2017 to its restaurant, bars and on the course's drainage.

    Get the latest race results from the meeting with BBC Sport.

  9. Man charged with attempted kidnap

    A man from Glasgow has been charged with attempted kidnap in connection with an incident in Carlisle.

    It happened on Harraby Green Road on Friday.  

    Alan Hughes, 59, of Tollcross Road, appeared at Carlisle Magistrates Court this morning.

    He was remanded into custody to appear at Carlisle Crown Court on 13 March.

  10. Beatrix Potter Award winners revealed

    Awards are being given out today by the National Trust to people in Cumbria who have excelled in art, landscape management, farming and business.

    This year's Beatrix Potter Awards are part of the celebrations for what would have been the children's author and Lakeland farmer's 150th birthday.

    Here are a few of the entries that have been recognised in the children's art competition:

    View more on twitter
  11. Former Cumbria chief constable says informants provide 'value for money'

    Former Cumbria chief constable says the force's £250k spend on informants is in proportion with the size of the force.

    Stuart Hyde was speaking earlier today on Mike Zeller at Breakfast:

    Video content

    Video caption: Ex-Cumbria chief constable Stuart Hyde: Informants 'value for money'
  12. Hand-written Ransom postcard a 'precious possession'

    Mike Zeller

    Presenter, BBC Radio Cumbria

    This morning we asked you to share your favourite pieces of memorabilia with us on Mike Zeller at Breakfast after the New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said the shirt he had been wearing during his fifth Superbowl win had gone missing from the changing room. 

    Here is a special postcard that we were told about by Julian and Jan who live in Kirkland - it is a hand-written postcard sent by Swallows and Amazons writer Arthur Ransom to his mother:

    A hand-written postcard from Arthur Ransome to his mother
  13. Weather: Cloudy and cold with some drizzle

    Owain Wyn Evans

    BBC Look North weather

    Cloudy and fairly cold with some drizzle or light rain. Turning a little bit drier later on into the afternoon.

    Here's your full forecast:

    Video content

    Video caption: Weather: Weather for the North East and Cumbria
  14. Counting sheep on a Herdwick wool mattress

    A Kendal business hopes that making mattresses out of Herdwick wool can help make farmers more money.

    The Herdy Company says it takes the equivalent of one Herdwick sheep fleece to fill a king-size model.

    It hopes that the product can help to reverse the decline in the use of Herdwick wool which is more coarse and sells for less than finer white wool. 

    View more on twitter
  15. BreakingSaline inquiry detectives speaking to hospital staff

    Cumbria Police have confirmed that detectives are speaking to hospital staff as part of an investigation into saline bags that had been tampered with at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle

    Earlier today, the News and Star reported that an internal update from the North Cumbria University Hospital NHS Trust's Nursing Director Maurya Cushlow had informed staff about the interviews.

    Quote Message: Detectives are making inquiries with a range of people, including hospital staff, in order the establish the circumstances. The investigation remains active and the constabulary is working closely with the hospital trust." from Cumbria Police
    Cumbria Police
  16. Offer contract upgrade to locum consultants, says Workington MP

    A Cumbrian MP has called on one of the county's hospital trusts to let any temporary consultant move onto a permanent post if they wish to.

    In a letter to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the Labour MP for Workington Sue Hayman suggests that the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust should also be "encouraged" to offer training and support, if necessary.

    The letter also asks ministers to ensure that consultants working at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven are treated in the same way as those at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

    Quote Message: The trust must be encouraged to allow any locum consultant who wishes to move onto a substantive permanent post to do so, with any relevant training and support package provided if necessary." from Sue Hayman Labour MP for Whitehaven
    Sue HaymanLabour MP for Whitehaven
  17. First awards honouring Lake District children's author held today

    Beatrix Potter and a dog

    The first Beatrix Potter awards are being held in South Cumbria later today.

    The ceremony is part of the celebrations being held to mark what would have been the 150th birthday of the children's author and farmer.

    Awards will be given out to people living or working in Cumbria who have excelled in story illustration, landscape management, farming and community business.

  18. Cumbria Police's £250k spend on informants over last five years

    The county's police force has spent more than £250,000 over the past years for information from police informants.

    That's according to freedom of information requests made to every constabulary in the UK by BBC Five Live Breakfast

    All but two - South Yorkshire Police and Cleveland Police - responded.

    London's force, the Metropolitan Police, paid out the most over the last five years with a total spend of £5,270,659. 

    Chart showing police spending by top five forces and Cumbria Police

    Cumbria Police had the 25th highest spend on informants out of the 43 forces that responded to the FOI request.

    Chart showing forces with similar spend to Cumbria Police

    Cumbria Police say they have demonstrated a high level of compliance with the rules regarding the use of informants.