A Carlisle pub has won a top award for its welcoming atmosphere.

The Reiver, on Holmrook Road, picked up the Heart of the Community award and the regional award for best live sports bar from Coronation Street star Kym Marsh, who plays Michelle Connor.

Life-long Carlisle residents Tony and Michelle Grierson took over The Reiver seven years ago.

During that time they have turned it from a little used men’s pub into a thriving community hub popular with everyone from mothers and toddlers to senior citizens, creating 22 jobs in the process.

With the help of a £360,000 refurbishment, the couple have made The Reiver a comfortable meeting place for residents adding a children’s play area and coffee lounge and introducing home cooked food and darts and snooker.

For the Heart of the Community Award, the judges were looking for the pub that made the most difference to its community and was its favourite local.

They were bowled over by The Reiver’s range of activities and warm welcoming atmosphere, the central role it plays in local life and the testimony of customers, who described the pub as their ‘home from home’.

The judges commended The Reiver as a centre of social life with activities on daily ranging from bingo and quizzes to sports screenings and live music as well as big community events such as children’s Easter and Christmas parties and even a hustings during the recent General Election.

Fundraising fetes and fun days raise thousands of pounds for local charities with Eden Valley Hospice a favourite cause.

Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs & Bars managing director, said: "The award standards were very high but The Reiver stood out both for the role it plays in local life and for being the perfect place to watch sports.

"To be recognised in two categories is an outstanding achievement - Tony and Michelle’s hard work and commitment make it a gem of a pub, the heart of the community and the place people turn to find out what is going on."

Michelle said: "We’re overwhelmed and over the moon.

"To win these awards is amazing; when we took over The Reiver hardly anyone came in, now we’re often packed.

"It’s an award for the whole area - The Reiver is their pub and they’ve supported us every step of the way in the changes we’ve made."