A meeting has been called to investigate the state of cobblestones in Workington's conservation area of Portland Square.

Joe Holliday, county councillor for St John's ward, is due to meet with the county's highways manager, after the  issue was raised at Allerdale Highways Working Group Meeting last week.

Mr Holliday said: "It's a nice square but it's in an awful state, you can't walk on it.

"It should be inspected regularly so now I have a meeting with the highways manager to discuss this. I've asked for the latest inspection records.

"There's a chance that heritage funding could be available and I feel we should inspect the state of the area."

He added that a report written seven years ago by the county council's chief executive pointed out all the dangers and problems with the Georgian square's pavement, but nothing has been done since.

In 2008, the council wanted to upgrade the square’s 200-year-old cobbles.

Three options were on the table. The county could either tarmacadam over the cobbles, do nothing or replace them with sandstone. 

It wanted £550,000-worth of funding from the Northwest Development Agency but did not get any cash.

The move provoked outrage among townsfolk and the Times & Star launched a successful campaign to Save Our Cobbles.

An attempt by Workington and District Civic Trust to have the cobbles listed for preservation failed in 2009.

English Heritage said the surface was relaid in 1964 and modern engineering bricks had undermined its historic integrity, with some cobbles set in tarmacadam.