Giant supermarket chain Lidl has revealed plans to open a new store in West Cumbria.

The company has announced it has set its eyes on Workington and a spokesman said: "Workington is very much an area of interest for Lidl, however we have not yet located a suitable site at this time."

It is understood the supermarket chain is considering locations in the town.

A lidl store opened in Maryport in October creating around 40 new jobs.

And a further branch is planned for Cockermouth, although the company has admitted a delay in work starting at the site on Station Road.

Construction work was set to begin in April and the store due to open next spring.

A spokesman said this week: "Development on our Cockermouth store is due to start this summer and expected to open next summer.

"Due to the complexities of the development, which includes the construction of a new WCF Pet and Equestrian store in addition to our new Lidl store, we have encountered minor delays beyond our control. "We'd like to thank the local community for their patience and look forward to breaking ground as soon as possible."

The company has submitted revised signage plans to Allerdale Council, following previous ones being refused.

The application states: "The reasons for refusal were that the proposed signs, by virtue of their amount, illumination and design, would result in a 'cumulative undesirable clutter of advertisements which would be out of of character'.

"We have taken the council's comments into account and reduced the amount of the proposed sign by removing two billboard signs (hoarding adverts) from the revised proposal".

Suzanne Caldwell, deputy chief executive at Cumbria chamber of trade, said it was not clear what effect a new Lidl would have on Workington.

She said: "The Lidl model means that they're competing with other supermarkets rather than local traders. So any negative impact on trade would be expected to be among the major supermarkets already in the town.

"There may be some people who are currently travelling to the Maryport Lidl who would stay and shop in Workington instead.

"Potentially, depending on the site, this could benefit other traders in the town. But that said most of us tend to do a supermarket shop as a free standing shop rather than combining it with wider shopping. So overall it's not clear what the impact on Workington would be."