Carlisle City Council has said its keeping an eye on a plant pest which has taken root on the riverbank in the city's Bitts Park.

Himalayan Balsam is a fast growing and invasive weed which prevents native many native plant species from growing.

A council spokeswoman said: “Himalayan Balsam grows extensively along the riverbanks in Bitts Park and further downstream.

"Carlisle City Council actively controls it in Bitts Park, where is it safe to do so, as it grows rapidly and can out-compete native flora.”