There will be further talks about Takin Tarn's future

Plans to sell off the popular lake Talkin Tarn in Cumbria have been put on hold.

Cumbria County Council wants to sell the lake at Brampton to a private company.

But at a public meeting 500 people turned out to express their outrage at the plans.

The county council now says it will hold further consultations before going ahead with a sale. Talks are taking place with Carlisle City Council to find ways of managing the tarn.

The main problem is that more than �500,000 needs to be found to improve visitor facilities at the popular beauty spot.

The town's county councillor Kevan Wilkinson, said: "I will do anything in my power to make sure Talkin Tarn is not sold off.

Parish council

"If the democratic process goes against me I will have to live with that."

Connie Ridley, the Chairman of Brampton Parish Council said she was not confident the new talks would yield results.

She said: "I am a bit disappointed we have not come up with any new ideas. I would like to see the parish council play a bigger role."

Talkin Tarn, near Carlisle, features 120 acres of woodland and a 65 acre lake.

The decision to sell came after proposals from management consultants PriceWaterhouseCoopers, which recommended a series of cuts in September 2002.