A group has been formed to seek community support for a proposed Dearham wind turbine, two months after an application for the project was thrown out.

Farmer Robbie Manchester wants to erect an 150ft turbine at Moorside Farm, Blooming Heather.

The turbine would have supplied power to the farm, which has no mains electricity, and provided an estimated £150,000 a year to village causes.

But, after residents raised concerns that the turbine would be too close to their homes, Allerdale council's development panel refused planning permission in June

Mr Manchester plans to submit an appeal soon and has formed a steering group with villagers George Bell and George Brown and green campaigner Jill Perry, of Bullgill, to gather community support for the turbine project.

Without the turbine, Mr Manchester, 39, said he could be forced to sell the farm and move out of the village where he has spent his whole life as the generators he relies on are expensive to run.

Mr Manchester, who has three daughters, has sold the family home in the village to remain at the farm.

He said: "Our next step will be dependent on the outcome of the appeal.

"In the meantime we are staying on the farm until we get a final decision on the project and whether we can secure an income by leasing the site to the community."

He hopes villagers will come forward to invest in community shares in the project, which would help provide funding to install the turbine.