Carlisle Lake District Airport has been promised up to £8m in Government funding to help its recovery in the face of the disruption caused by Covid-19.

As part of its efforts to support the ailing airline industry - one of the sectors particularly hard hit by the pandemic - the Government has pledged a fresh £100m to help airports find their feet in the wake of disruption caused by coronavirus.

Carlisle's airport will be one of the airports set to benefit from this, with a quoted top value of £8m.

The funding will be equivalent to the business rates that the airport would otherwise have to pay.

In total, the aviation and aerospace sectors have received more than £9bn in support from the Government since the pandemic began.

A spokeswoman for the Carlisle Lake District airport welcomed the Government support "during this challenging time.

"At this stage we await official confirmation and further detail, however it is anticipated any support would relate to business rates which are unlikely to amount to £8m.

"Nevertheless, we welcome any positive support for Carlisle Lake District Airport which recognises its value to the local and regional economy."

Carlisle City Council's portfolio holder for economy, enterprise and housing, Paul Nedved, said he was "delighted" that the Government had pledged to provide the airport with financial support, adding that it will "hopefully help to secure it’s long term future".

"Carlisle Lake District Airport has a pivotal role to play in the economic and business growth of both the city and the wider hinterland. We look forward to a time when passenger flights can be restored, and the airport be a part of the commercial success of the region," he said.

The news comes just six weeks after the airport announced 16 job losses as a result of the impact Covid-19 had brought, something the owners said they were "reluctantly, but unavoidably" looking at.

Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, the constituency in which the airport sits, said that he hopes the new Government funding "marks a turning point for the airport – which is so important for our community.

“I will continue to work with stakeholders, colleagues and Government to support a viable future for our airport which has been hit so hard by this pandemic," he said.