Cold weather causes further financial worries across Cumbria amid cost of living crisis

The cold snap is causing further financial worries for people across Cumbria as the cost of living crisis continues.

Temperatures are set to drop as low as -6C throughout the region in the coming days.

A level three cold weather alert has been issued across the whole of England from Wednesday evening through to Monday 12 December.

Karl Melville from Cumbria County Council says teams have already been out putting grit on the roads.

"It has been a busy week already for our teams," he said.

"We started at the weekend because we got a forecast last week that hinted that we were going to have a bad week this week.

"So we started putting salt down on Saturday into Sunday and that work will progress throughout the rest of this week looking at the forecast."

At a winter warmth centre in Workington there are many local people using the service to protect themselves from the cold.

Many local residents fear that rising energy costs, coupled with falling temperatures, could mean that their finances will be shattered over the coming months.

Lynne Hodgson is one of those scared about being able to afford to heat her home.

She said: "It is very concerning cause it is a two bedroom house it is quite big.

"I am having to turn radiators down and turning some of them off where I can. It is worrying."

Percy Clark is fearful though that his savings will diminish this year due to the cost to heat his home.

He said: "We will manage through the winter through sensible use of the heating but we can afford to stay warm.

"I feel very sad for the people who can’t.

"If it continues what little savings we have will be eroded and I am not looking forward to that."

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