Preparatory works are taking place at the site of a landslip in Cumbria, Network Rail has announced.

A team of 80 geotechnical and engineering experts are carrying out the works at the site along the Settle to Carlisle railway line.

The section of embankment is more than 130 metres long and 70 metres wide, with some 500,000 tonnes of earth still moving down one side of the Eden Gorge towards the River Eden.

It is thought the issue was caused by the river eroding the base of the embankment, combined with the recent repeated storms and saturated ground.

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Access roads are now being built across farmland, while a site compound is being set up. In addition, vegetation is being removed and soil samples are being taken to assess the underlying ground conditions.

Network Rail said the Settle to Carlisle line is liked to remain closed north of Appleby for several months.

Rhiannon Price, Network Rail project manager, said: "Around 500,000 tonnes of earth in the embankment supporting the railway is still on the move downhill towards the River Eden.

"Since our monitoring systems detected significant movement on 9 February our geotechnical and engineering experts have been considering all the possible repair options. We have not yet agreed on the best final engineering solution but we hope to have that soon."

(LM/MH)