A £2.5 million bid to improve Penrith's Castle Park has been put on ice by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The charity fund group turned down plans that would have made the playground and obstacle golf course bigger, refurbished the Memorial Gate and Black Angel War Memorial and build a car park.

The bid, developed by the Castle Park Development Group, with support from Eden District Council’s leisure services team, also included a level bridge across to Penrith Castle, to make it more accessible and a water feature next to the cafe.

But the fund has suggested that a new bid could be made and an officer is due to meet town representatives next month to discuss a new application.

An Eden council spokesperson said: “We are seeking to arrange a meeting with a representative from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to see what work needs to be undertaken before any bid for funding for Penrith’s Castle Park could be re-submitted.

"The HLF has been receptive to the submission the council worked on with our partners, but we recognise that applying for this type of funding is very competitive, with quality projects from across the country all requiring grants. So we will listen to what the HLF advise and determine the best way forward with our partners for any future submission.”