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Live Reporting

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  1. As it happened: BBC Cumbria Live

    Martin Lewes

    Reporter

    Today was dominated by the fire at an industrial storage building in Maryport.  There'll be more on BBC Radio Cumbria, especially in tomorrow morning's Breakfast with Mike Zeller.  

    In other news:

    We'll be back tomorrow to do it all again.  As always, if you want to pass on news you think we should know, or share a photo with the county, you can email them to ussend them using Twitter where we're @bbc_cumbria or head to our Facebook page.     

    Have a very good evening.

  2. Cumbria's weather: Showers easing, temperature freezing

    BBC Weather

    Wintry showers will continue this evening for a while.

    The northerly wind will ease and there will be a widespread frost with the risk of ice on untreated surfaces and temperatures falling to -1C (30F). 

    Weather graphic

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

  3. Flood repairs nearly complete in Kendal's oldest building

    The restaurant in Kendal's oldest building, the Castle Dairy, is now almost ready for reopening - 18 months after it was swamped by Storm Desmond.

    Castle Dairy

    The 14th Century building is now a restaurant run by Kendal College to train apprentices.

    The repairs have included installing a new kitchen, and the first customers will be served on 13 May.

    The building was probably originally a farmhouse. Its name is thought to be a corruption of the word "dowry".

  4. Barrow all-rounder 'could have England cap'

    BBC Radio Cumbria Sport

    The Barrow cricketer Liam Livingstone, who has just skippered Lancashire to a win in their first match of the season, could be in line for an England call-up.

    Liam Livingstone

    Livingstone's career best 168 in the second innings proved a turning point in the game which ended with a 164-run victory over Somerset.

    Head coach Glenn Chapple said: ""He's a big occasion player, he's a talking point for further honours in the future, right now he's determined to do well for the team and that's proving very beneficial to us."

  5. Walker, 83 rescued after 12m fall

    An 83-year-old woman has been rescued by boat after falling 12m from a footpath at Ullswater. 

    Patterdale Mountain Rescue team, which has a fast response boat for rescues along the shores of Ullswater, the air ambulance, a fast response car and a doctor were all called to Hallin Hagg Wood this morning. 

    Mountain rescuers say the woman was treated for head, neck, chest and pelvic injuries before what they called a "difficult" rescue onto the boat. She was flown by air ambulance to a trauma centre for treatment. 

  6. Tim Farron: I don't think gay sex is a sin

    Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron says he does not think gay sex is a sin - clarifying a question he had refused to answer several times during the election campaign.

    Video content

    Video caption: Tim Farron: Politicians shouldn't pontificate on theological matters

    In an exclusive interview with BBC News, Mr Farron, who is also MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said the matter had become "an issue" for him during the election. 

    In an interview with BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier, he said he did not "want to get into a series of questions unpicking the theology of the Bible".

    But he acknowledged it had "become an issue", and did not want people getting the "wrong impression" about his views.

    "I don't believe that gay sex is a sin," he said.

    "I take the view though that as a political leader, my job is not to pontificate on theological matters."

  7. Industrial estate evacuated as blaze erupts

    A number of neighbouring businesses near the scene of the fire at an industrial estate in Maryport have been evacuated, including a 3D printing firm, Protopro.

    Christine Eaglestone's phograph shows how close the fire was.

    The fire close up
  8. The Maryport fire in its early stages

    Our thanks to Jan Fialkowski for this video, which shows fire engines arriving soon after the blaze began.

    Even then, huge plumes of smoke were spreading across the town.

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  9. Firefighters expected to be at scene through the night

    John McVeigh, the fire officer in charge of fighting this enormous blaze in Maryport has told the BBC that his teams could be fighting the blaze in an industrial storage building throughout the night.

    This shot from Cumbria Police gives the scale of the operation and the damage to the building.

    Aerial shot of fire
  10. Fire cause power cut to hundreds of homes

    Electricity North West says the fire at an industrial estate in Maryport this afternoon has caused a power cut that at first blacked out more than 700 properties in the town.

    The company has just told us that the number of properties still affected is now down to 40, mostly on the industrial estate.

    Fire at Maryport
  11. Maryport sealed off as fire blazes

    Megan Paterson

    Reporter, BBC Look North

    BBC reporter Megan Paterson is at the scene of the fire in Maryport and said the pillar of smoke from the fire had been visible from between 20 and 30 miles away.

    She said: "Police have told us they're advising people to stay away from the area. We do know though that no one thankfully has been injured in this fire."

    View more on twitter
  12. Travel: A596 remains closed past Maryport blaze, trains suspended

    BBC News Travel

    The A596 remains closed past the scene of the fire on the Glasson industrial estate near Maryport.  

    Network Rail says train services are suspended between Maryport and Whitehaven and many Northern Services between Barrow and Carlisle have been cancelled as a result.

  13. Maryport fire 'devastating'

    The fire in Maryport is in a building used by SIS Pitches, which makes artificial surfaces for sports grounds.

    The company's managing director Gerard Knight told BBC Radio Cumbria that the fire is in a storage building rather than the manufacturing centre.

    He said it was not clear what had started the fire but that all workers were out of the building.

    Mr Knight said it was "devastating"

    "We were busier than ever with pitches", he said.

    Maryport fire from a distance
    Quote Message: This is stock of yarn and stock of material that's been damaged, so our manufacturing facility is still going." from Gerard Knight Manufacturing Director, SIS Pitches
    Gerard KnightManufacturing Director, SIS Pitches

    The BBC's Megan Paterson said the smoke was visible from up to 30 miles away.

  14. Maryport fire: What we know so far

    Martin Lewes

    Reporter

    Fire crews are tackling a large fire on an industrial estate this afternoon.

    Emergency services were called at 13:38 to the fire on the Glasson estate at Maryport.

    Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service has sent at least eight appliances and an aerial ladder platform.  

    Maryport fire

    The Cumbrian Coast railway line, which passes close to the scene, is now closed, with train services suspended between Maryport and Workington.

    The A596 is closed, with traffic diverted on to minor roads. People have been asked to avoid the area and keep doors and windows closed if they are at home.

    Other nearby buildings have been evacuated. It's not clear whether this includes homes.  

    The fire is in a storage building used by SIS Pitches, which makes artificial surfaces for sports grounds across Europe.

    One director said it was "absolutely devastating", but everyone was out of the building.

  15. Buildings evacuated as Maryport fire rages

    Buildings on the Glasson Industrial Estate in Maryport are being evacuated as the fire there sends huge plumes of black smoke across the town.

    Police say people in the Maryport area should keep windows closed and stay away from the scene.

  16. Maryport fire 'in artifical pitch factory'

    Cumbria Fire Service says the blaze is in a building used for making synthetic turf.

    A company at the Glasson Industrial Estate, SIS Pitches, makes artificial turf for sports fields.

    View more on twitter
  17. Travel: Trains suspended on Coast line because of fire

    BBC News Travel

    Network Rail now says trains are suspended between Maryport and Workington because of the fire on the Glasson Industrial Estate.

  18. BreakingEight fire engines at big Maryport blaze

    Eight fire engines and a turntable ladder have been sent to a big fire on an industrial estate in Maryport.

    View more on twitter

    The blaze, which one local report says involves tyres, has brought trains to a halt on the neighbouring Cumbrian Coast rail line.

  19. Travel: Fire delays coast line trains

    BBC News Travel

    Trains between Carlisle and Barrow on the Cumbrian Coast line are being delayed by around 20 minutes because of a fire near the tracks at Maryport.

    Smoke in the sky at Maryport