Hundreds of people in Cockermouth are supporting the campaign calling for Allerdale Council to declare a climate emergency.

More than 350 signatures were added to a petition when activists took to the town centre.

The town council declared a climate change emergency in June.

Sustainable Keswick and Climate Emergency West Cumbria (CEWC) are hoping Allerdale will follow suit.

Members of the group met in Cockermouth and collected 350 petition signatures on Main Street.

They were supported by Workington MP Sue Hayman, shadow secretary for the environment and rural affairs, and local representatives from Friends of the Earth, the Green Party, Labour Party, UK Student Climate Network and Riversmeet.

"The volunteers were highly encouraged by the positive attitude of local people for regional action to curb climate change," said Julia Robinson, of CEWC.

"If we don't take action against the causes of climate change, this town stands to be left with heavy and increasingly severe losses from flood damage, which we just can't afford.

"Two floods over the last 20 years was a heavy burden for this area - we're acting to lower the risk of it happening again."

The petition backs a motion to reduce emissions and become carbon neutral by 2030. It is hoped that Allerdale will join Carlisle City Council and South Lakes Borough council in declaring a climate emergency.

Across the UK over 90 city, borough, district councils have committed to take specific action to tackle the global climate emergency.

"This and other events mean that the campaigners are well on their way to gaining over 1,000 signatures when it will be presented by its proposers, Sustainable Keswick supported by Climate Change West Cumbria, at the next Allerdale council meeting," said Julia.

The motion will be discussed by the council on September 25.

Town councillor Richard Watson supported the campaigners. "The floods of 2015 affected the whole country, we should all be aware of the threats of climate change," he said.

"I think it's very important that Allerdale signs up not just because of what they can do with land and planning decisions but because it also gives a signal that they're taking this seriously.

"Everyone has to pull together and do their bit."

County councillor Rebecca Hanson this week called for the council to ask the Government to publish a ‘clear plan of action’.

Ms Hanson, the councillor for Cockermouth North, said: “This council welcomes the recent decision by parliament to declare a climate change emergency in the UK, including Cumbria.

“We now call upon the Government to produce a clear plan of action, backed up by sufficient resources, to address this existential threat.”

Her motion was unanimously supported. It also stated that the county council has long-recognised the importance of climate change and has reduced its carbon emissions.

The council says it has installed LED street lighting, introduced low emission fleet vehicles and pool cars, has rolled out low energy schemes in ‘many’ buildings and reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill.