A village's campaign to save its local pub has received an £80,000 boost.

In August The Lowther Arms Community Project launched a campaign to buy The Lowther Arms pub at Mawbray, north of Maryport, by raising up to £300,000 to reopen and transform the venue.

As the pub sits right next to the beaches and dunes of the Solway Coast, they want to create what they believe will be the country's first coastal community pub.

Campaigners have now learned the project can access £80,000 in funding.

The combined package is made up of a £40,000 grant from the Plunkett Foundation, which helps communities set up and run community co-operatives that are owned and run democratically by large numbers of people in their community.

The additional £40,000 is a loan from the Key Fund, a team funded by social entrepreneurs and philanthropists to strengthen local communities and support new enterprises by providing finance to help community and social enterprises.

LACP spokesperson Christopher Atkinson said: “The fact that we’ve successfully accessed the grant and funding has been a real boost to the community.

"Psychologically it has also given people more confidence in our campaign.

“We’ve been campaigning on the coast and know there is real local interest, it just needed a few people to lead the way.

"As well as local people, there are share enquiries and sales from across the country.

"Outside of Cumbria, the hot spots for shares are the north east and Yorkshire.

"It’s not a surprise, because we get a lot of holiday visitors from these areas and they are keen to see the pub reopen.”

He said anyone who wants to buy shares in the pub can go to www.thelowtherarms.co.uk

The share offer is open until October 1 or when the maximum amount is reached.

However, the management committee reserves the right to extend the offer

The pub was first listed in the Cumberland Directory in 1847. However, it closed in December 2018. It incorporates a conservatory, beer garden and a registered caravan and camping site