Cumbria County Council has warned that all communications in parts of Workington would be jeopardised if Calva Bridge collapses, with the landlines of 3,000 homes ceasing to function. Jim Smith, senior area engineer for Cumbria County Council, said repairing the bridge was impossible, meaning it will either collapse or have to be demolished. Refusing to give a specific time-scale for this, he said it could be “today, tomorrow, or in several weeks time.”

Perth and Kinross Council has axed two senior management posts in the hope of achieving an annual saving of £200,000. Council leader Ian Miller said: “The changes we decided on today make good sense, both from the point of view of funding and in the quality of the services we are able to provide.”

Criticism has been levelled at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council for its decision to charge visitors to park at a Children in Need event in Weymouth Sea Life Park. The council is being called upon to donate money collected at nearby Lodmoor car park to the charity. Iain Hawkins, former manager of the park, said: “Surely when provided with the opportunity to support the Sea Life Park’s bid to put Weymouth on the map, there should have been a little more support from the council? I am sure that the council do not want to be tarred with a ‘scrooge’ tag.”

Shopshire Council officials have been sent in to address the problem of rats in the centre of Ludlow. Rodents, escaped from the sewers, are inhabiting some of the most expensive parts of town. Councillor Rosanna Taylor-Smith, who lives in Mill Street, one of the particularly affected areas, said: “It is something that we have been trying to sort out over the past few days to get something done.”