Keswick's calamitous kerbs could be corrected next year.

Town councillor Graham Kendall says he is "quietly confident" that Cumbria county council officials now realise remedial work will have to be carried out to make the town centre safer.

He has campaigned for more than a year to get the county authority to accept there is a problem and to look into making repairs.

Mr Kendall met a county officer this week to inspect the Market Square and discuss a way forward.

And the councillor said that during the visit, the two men witnessed a pedestrian trip on the paving.

He said: " The authority now recognises that something needs to be done. The conversation has shifted from 'there is no case' to one of 'we need to improve the kerbs'.

"The conversation is more about how and what, rather than whenever. We need to work out how we can level the pavements in a cost-effective way with minimal disruption.

"The council has not committed to anything but has agreed to carry out some experiemental work.

"We do not know how easily the paving will come up or what is beneath and we have to be careful about drainage."

The problem paving in the town's Market Square has caused problems for locals and visitors since it was installed in 2004.

A road safety audit to the council in 2005 warned that the 'trip hazard' in the town centre continued to be a problem.

A Freedom of Information request by Mr Kendall into falls in the Market Square revealed that since 2013, North West Ambulance Service had attended 53 callouts at a cost of £13,000 in ambulance fees alone.

The town council has repeatedly called for action to be taken and commissioned an independent report on the dangers.

The survey revealed that hundreds of falls had been recorded over the years.

The independent consultancy WYG Environment Planning Transport Limited, stated that the kerbs had "a significantpedestrian accident history” and recommended the paving, which varies in height upto 50mm high, should be removed to create a flattened surface or replaced to provide full height kerbs.

Mr Kendall said the report did not have any surprises, but carried weight because it was independent and was not political.

It is being presented to the town council at its next meeting on December 21 when Mr Kendall will urge fellow members to call for the kerbing to be levelled.

It is thought that replacing all the problem paving could cost the county authority more than £1m.

Because of the costs and the disruption likely to be caused, Mr Kendall expects the work to be done over "two to three years".

He added: "Getting it all done in one year's budget is a big ask and there would probably not be time to do it in one season unless you blocked off access.

"I don't care how it is done, as long as it improves safety , looks reasonable and does not impair the drainage."