In one month's time, the first commercial flights in a generation will have taken off from Carlisle Lake District Airport.

Construction crews are busy carrying out the work needed for Loganair to start operating flights to Carlisle, Dublin and Belfast from June 4.

That includes painting all-important markers on the runway so flights can open new opportunities for business and tourism travellers.

Anticipation is growing ahead of the flights, with Prime Minister Theresa May this week encouraged to take a trip to the city by plan.

Cumbria Tourism managing director Gill Haigh, said: "The final countdown is on to new flights from Carlisle Lake District Airport , which will be a major boost for Cumbria’s connectivity and our £2.72billion tourism industry.

"We welcomed 45 million visitors to the county last year, but a large proportion were day trippers to the Lakes.

"Our marketing strategy has a key focus on encouraging visitors to stay in the county as a whole.

"New flights though Carlisle will create alternative travel options and Cumbria Tourism is working in partnership with the airport to encourage new and existing visitors to enjoy more of our iconic landscapes and world-class experiences."

Independent travel agent Cumbria Travel, which has bases in Dunmail Park in Workington and King Street, Whitehaven, is among the first to offer holidays flying from Carlisle Lake District Airport.

It has two and three night city breaks to Belfast and Dublin available with prices starting at under £300 per person.

Clare Heywood, assistant manager at Cumbria Travel in Whitehaven, said: We had so much interest. We've got our own ATOL licence so we were able to put our breaks together.

"Carlisle is just so handy and there's free parking. It is fantastic. Usually you have to travel two or three hours and then pay for parking before setting off anywhere; this is going to be so easy and convenient.

"Hopefully it will take off and will be like the old Blackpool Airport."

She added: "People from Carlisle have been getting in touch too as it is on their doorstep. We've got people interested in travelling from Lancashire too. A three-night break in Ireland for under £300 is a good price."

She revealed scores of passengers have already snapped up deals.

"We hope that the Loganair flights will take off and other airlines can follow suit and offer more destinations. It is going to be so good for Carlisle, bringing money in and into the local economy," she said.

Developments at the airport, on the outskirts of the city, are seen as critical to the Borderlands initiative, which is designed to forge a fresh financial future for Cumbria and surrounding regions.

Mrs May has said she is looking forward to a future visit to Carlisle, but has set no date for that.

She was in the county this week, visiting a factory in Ulverston as part of a visit ahead of yesterday's local authority elections which saw voters in Carlisle and South Lakeland go to the polls.