BBC Local Live: Cumbria

It was BBC School Report day, when staff went out to give school students a chance to find out more about broadcasting.

A gang of men has admitted plotting to bring drugs into Cumbria.

Police seized drugs worth tens of thousands of pounds when two couriers were arrested on the M6 heading for Carlisle. 

Two Carlisle men, Jonathan O'Neil, 28, from Creighton Avenue and Darren Snowden, 45, of Brookside, along with three other men all admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Stone also admitted conspiring to supply heroin and cannabis.

Also appearing at Carlisle Crown Court were Andrew Berry, 25, of Bower street in Carlisle and Levi Howard, 30, of High Cliff, Barrow, who admitted to conspiring to supply cannabis.

They'll all be sentenced tomorrow. 

Claire Grogan is one of 60 medical specialists taking part in a course based on the shores of Ullswater, training them to provide advanced medicine in remote areas.

Today, as a final test, they were taking part in a mocked-up search and rescue mission.

The leader of Cumbria County Council, Stewart Young, says he's seeking urgent talks with hospital trust officials over planned closure of beds at three of the county's cottage hospitals.

The county's clinical commissioning group (CCG) has agreed  to accept most of a range of proposals from the Success Regime , including ending inpatient care at Alston, Wigton and Maryport.

Cumbria County CouncilCopyright: Cumbria County Council

Mr Young said: "We will be calling on them firstly to assure us that no beds will close unless and until properly worked through solutions for the affected communities have been agreed."

The CCG said it was keen to work with the council.

A spokesman said: "We are very clear that unless we have to, for safety and operational reasons, we will not be closing beds until we have robust alternative services in place.”

A lorry driver's said to be in a critical condition in Carlisle after a crash on the M6 earlier.

The man, who's 73 and from North Yorkshire was heading north when his vehicle, loaded with hay and heading north, swerved into the central reservation crash barrier at junction 44 .

Police are appealing for witnesses. Traffic is being diverted around the roundabout above where the crash happened.

Outbreaks of rain will ease away to the southeast through this evening, allowing skies to clear. This will make for a colder night, breezy with only a few showers.  Temperatures will fall to about 3C (37F).

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

Bridge Street, Castle Way and Caldewgate in Carlisle are all congested after an accident involving two vehicles near Sainsbury's supermarket.

Hannah Kelly's been getting close to this swan on Harrington reservoir, and sent us this photo to prove it; many thanks, Hanna.

Hannah KellyCopyright: Hannah Kelly

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The Conservative Party nationally has said this morning's Electoral Commission report , imposing a £70,000 fine for breaching general election campaign expenses rules, exonerates constituency campaigners.

Twelve police forces, including Cumbria, have reported the results of investigations to the Crown Prosecution service to see whether legal proceedings should be taken because spending supporting individual candidates had not been reported locally.

The Commission's report says there was a risk that candidate campaigning would take place, and it did, but it's not possible to determine what proportion was spent locally.

A statement said the party viewed spending as a national matter.

The M6 has been closed or restricted near Carlisle for more than three hours since a lorry loaded with hay swerved into the central reservation barrier.

The message from police is that they're not taking longer than they have to!

Cumbria has been chosen to lead a new scheme to help children, young people and employees with mental health issues. 

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

A Time to Change Hub will see a number of organisations come together to improve attitudes towards mental health. 

Three years ago figures from the Joint Strategic Needs Assessmen t found that issues of self harm, suicide and hospital admissions were higher than the national average. 

Caroline Robinson, from Carlisle and Eden Mind, says the figures are scary: "The rural nature of the county has a lot to do with it, because access to services is more difficult."

Quote Message: Something like the Time to Change hub will mean we can access those areas more readily." from Caroline Robinson

Something like the Time to Change hub will mean we can access those areas more readily."

Rain will gradually spread to all parts and become heavier for a time during the afternoon there'll be a brisk southwesterly breeze and temperatures reaching around 12C (54F).

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

People with an interest in Cumbria's history are being asked to volunteer for a new project. 

Museums around the county want people to help them care for their collections. There's also a plan to make them more accessible, by putting information online. 

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Cumbria's Museum of Military Life in Carlisle, the Beacon in Whitehaven (pictured), Ruskin Museum in Coniston and local museums in Keswick and Penrith are among those taking part.  

Traffic is being diverted over the roundabout on junction 44 on the M6, after a lorry collided with the central reservation on the northbound carriageway.

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An air ambulance has taken one casualty to hospital but there's no word on their condition.

Delays are expected for some time.

Newlands is one of the most spectacular valleys in the Lake District, and even on a hazy day, the views are excellent. 

Miriam SlackCopyright: Miriam Slack

Miriam Slack enjoyed the waterfalls and crags at the western end, and was kind enough to share them with us.

If you have a photograph you'd like to share or you have news you think we should know, you can  email us ,  tweet us   or get in touch  through our Facebook page   .   

A lorry's gone into the central reservation, blocking the northbound side of the M6 at junction 44, Carlisle. 

One carriageway may have to close on the southbound side.

A 36-year-old man was treated in hospital for minor injuries after an attack in Carlisle yesterday.

It happened behind shops on Petteril Bank Road at about 15:30.

Two men, aged 42 and 34, and a 38-year-old woman, were arrested on suspicion of assault and affray, and released on police bail.

Rural schools across the county are assessing their security, amid claims that inspectors could downgrade their ratings if it's not judged to be good enough. 

The Queen Katherine School in Kendal, and Kirkby Stephen Grammar School (pictured) have started complaints proceedings against the schools regulator Ofsted, claiming they were judged "inadequate" simply because they don't have perimeter fences.  

GoogleCopyright: Google

Kim Allen, a health and safety consultant for schools in the North West, says the issue's been raised at a number of schools. 

She said: "We got at least half a dozen schools where I've either been to the schools or I'm talking to them about what measures they can put in place."

Quote Message: Some of them are talking about fences, some of them are talking about security guards which has never been known in this county. I despair." from Kim Allen Health and safety consultant

Some of them are talking about fences, some of them are talking about security guards which has never been known in this county. I despair."