Cockermouth Town Council has dropped plans to apply for the closure of a footpath which provides access to a popular riverside beach in town.

Access to the beach, off Fern Bank, is by a public footpath, which the town council looked into closing.

The council owns the former youth hostel beside the beach and has been struggling to sell it. It is going to submit plans to turn it into a home, to make it easier to find a buyer.

Members last month voted to apply to have the footpath, which goes on to the beach and past the former hostel into woodland, closed.

More than 1,000 people have backed a Facebook campaign, Save Our Beach, set up on Saturday by Cockermouth man Richard Watson.

Town mayor Alan Tyson said today: "After we consulted with the county council's access officer, the town council decided not to proceed with its application to stop up the footpath.

"The access officer said she did not think we would get it. We accepted her advice."

Regarding access to the beach in the future, Councillor Tyson said: "If we sell it, this is up to the buyer."

Mr Watson organised a public meeting, at which people can discuss the best way forward, after contacting Workington MP Sue Hayman.

The meeting will be held on Saturday, October 28 at 2pm in the Kirkgate Centre.