MARYPORT'S lighthouse light has failed less than a year after it was restored.

The light has not worked for several weeks and rust stains have appeared on a section of the lighthouse which underwent a £50,000 makeover last year.

Town centre manager Toni Magean and Allerdale council property services officer Trevor Hurst have visited the lighthouse.

"We found there was some water getting behind guttering rather than going into it. It has run down behind it, rusting the guttering and leaving stain marks on the lighthouse," Mr Magean said.

He said there were also small pieces of what looked like rust dotted around the lighthouse.

"In high winds the sand is almost sandblasting the panels. This is causing some rusting about the size of 10p pieces," he added.

"This is a cast iron lighthouse and one of the oldest in the world. there is little we can do to stop nature."

Mr Magean said road signs nearby looked as though they have been pelleted.

"The rust dots are not a big issue but will have to be monitored," he said.

Mr Hurst said work will begin on fixing the problems soon, weather permitting.