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Cumbria stories you might have missed this week

News imageKendal College Two young people, one with ginger hair and the other with dark hair, are tending to a sheep on a bed of hay. An older man in green trousers and a brown coat is supervising them. All of them are inside what appears to be a barn.Kendal College
Some agriculture and animal care students face long commutes to college

It's been an eclectic week for news in Cumbria, with sinkholes, abandoned donkeys and "robot trousers" all making headlines in the county.

Here is a round-up of what you might have missed this week.

Rural students face 'draining' commute to courses

News imageSophie Rear, a young woman with blonde hair and a red lanyard around her neck is standing on the left of the picture. She is wearing a pink-and-white scarf and a pale pink top. On her right is a grey stone plaque with the words Kendal College in blue written on it, and below that South Lakes in green. In the background you can see some people inside the college building.
Sophie Rear faces a six-hour round trip to college

Students on agriculture and animal care courses are facing journeys of up to three hours each way to study.

Newton Rigg College in Penrith shut in 2021 and Kendal College - 35 miles (56km) away - is now the only further education provider of land-based courses in Cumbria.

Sophie Rear, who lives in Aspatria, said her commute, which sees her get up at 05:30, take two buses and then drive, was "absolutely draining".

The 18-year-old, who is in the final year of an animal care T-level, often takes a bus to Carlisle, then a second to a friend's house from where they drive to Kendal.

The college said it was trying to help with transport and remote learning but did not get extra government support. The government has been approached for comment.

Sinkhole swallows up part of shore car park

News imageShane Stanbridge The sinkhole in a tarmac car park. The hole is about as large as three parking spaces. The area surrounding the hole has broken sections of tarmac and sand around it. One side of the car park is covered in water. A handful of cars are parked some distance away from the hole.Shane Stanbridge
Seascale Parish Council said United Utilities was working at the site

A section of a seafront car park was swallowed up by a sinkhole.

The void appeared last weekend along the shore in Seascale.

Parish councillor Zöe O'Hanlon said she believed it had been caused by a burst outflow pipe and councillors had been at the scene with United Utilities, police and highways officers.

'Wrong trousers' to help rescue teams on the fells

News imagePatterdale Mountain Rescue Team trial trialling out so-called “robot trousers” on the fells. The image is made up of three inset pictures. On the left is a mountain rescue volunteer wearing the robot trousers, which are made up of a belt that goes around the waist, with two sections of plastic going down in thighs and joining two pads tied just above his knees. The machine is fitted over the volunteer's clothing. The central picture is a close up of the robot trousers. The picture of the right shows two mountain rescue volunteers walking up a hill, the one in front is wearing the robot trousers. They are both dressed in walking gear, with a red fleece with the mountain rescue logo.

It sounds like something from Wallace and Gromit.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team in the Lake District is trialling a pair of "robot trousers".

The device attaches at the waist and has two carbon arms which sit above the knee. It is hoped the trousers could help by speeding up the volunteers and helping to ease the weight of their kit.

Five donkeys dumped at sanctuary in as many weeks

News imageLinda Gilbert A shot of two donkeys peering over a fence and three light-coloured dogs with their paws extended, holding on to the snow-covered fence. There are overhanging trees and a snowy field in the background. Linda Gilbert
It can take abandoned donkeys many months to recover before they are found new, vetted homes

Five donkeys have been abandoned outside an animal sanctuary in as many weeks.

They included a "terrified" donkey dumped in the middle of the night at Barnhill Donkeys Retreat in Sleagill near Penrith.

Linda Gilbert, who runs the sanctuary, said some people bought donkeys as Christmas presents, then realised they were difficult to care for and dumped them, fearing prosecution for neglect.

She called the latest donkey Hope because, despite being scared, she was beginning to be less "shutdown" after being cared for at the shelter.

Retiring chief 'loved being a firefighter'

News imageStuart Hook Stuart Hook, dressed in a black fire chief uniform, stands in front of a fire engine. Stuart Hook
Stuart Hook has served Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service for almost 30 years

A retiring fire chief who spent almost 30 years in the service said he loved his time serving.

Former area manager Stuart Hook, 53, joined Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service in 1997.

Some of his notable responses included the huge blaze at Scalesceugh Hall, near Carlisle, in 2019, and a "significant fire" at BAE Systems nuclear submarine shipyard in 2024.

His fire service career started in 1997, where he worked in Penrith, before he joined full-time in 2001 and was posted to Barrow.

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