Work to knock down homes in Workington which are at risk due to a mine shaft has been delayed.

Earlier this year a public meeting was held after it emerged that seven homes on Hunter Street would have to be knocked down due to a mine shaft being discovered under the properties.

Agreements were being found with owners of the terraced houses for them to move. However the coronavirus outbreak has delayed the process.

A spokesman for the Coal Authority said: “Not all the properties are vacant at present. Unfortunately COVID-19 has delayed all aspects of the project and we don’t have a date for when these works will begin.”

The mine shaft was discovered in November 2018, after Allerdale council was contacted about localised ground movement affecting one of the homes. The Coal Authority confirmed it was due to a historical coal mine shaft from the 1780s.

At the time, Tim Marples, head of public safety and subsidence at the Coal Authority, said: “While incidents like this are uncommon, we’re very experienced in dealing with these situations. Our priority is to ensure the safety of residents.”