Sirens installed and residents evacuated after hill above Cumbria village starts shifting

Remaining villagers told if klaxon goes off, leave area immediately

Parton (Cumbria County Council)

A klaxon has been installed in a Cumbria village – after the hill behind its main road started shifting.

Fourteen homes have already been evacuated as geo-engineers work to understand why large cracks have begun appearing in the slope behind Parton, a mile north of Whitehaven.

Now, residents have been told it is not yet known when it will be safe to go back - but authorities have said the strip, Main Street, could be closed for as long as 18 months.

A siren alert system has been installed with those living and working in nearby properties told to immediately leave the area if it begins sounding.

The future of the village school – which sits directly below the hill – has also been thrown into question after Cumbria County Council admitted the area may not be safe again by September.

Contingency plans are already being worked on for St Bridget's Primary, which has 99 pupils.

A council spokesperson said: “Risk to public safety remains and evacuation and road closures remain in place.

"We are not yet able to confirm how long these arrangements will remain in place due to ongoing survey work and monitoring of the stability of the slope.”

They added: “We do not currently have enough information to know what the situation means for the school, either immediately or in the longer term.

"There is planning going on now to look at options if the school is not able to safely reopen in September. We understand people’s concerns, but there are many questions that we simply cannot answer yet.”

Specialist contractors have now cleared vegetation from the hillside to allow engineers to monitor it for movement.