Council bosses are hoping to fully reopen Carlisle's flood-hit Sheepmount Stadium by next spring.

The venue, which sits close to where the river Caldew meets the river Eden, was submerged in several feet of water when the city flooded in December 2015.

While some work was quickly undertaken so that the stadium could be used by local clubs on the football pitches, a full restoration project has only just begun on the athletics side.

The first job to be undertaken by contractors Thomas Armstrong is to reinstate the running track.

Some sports leaders criticised Carlisle City Council for the length of time it has taken for work to start - something the authority said was due to agreeing an insurance settlement.

"Work has now started," said Darren Crossley, deputy chief executive at Carlisle City Council.

"We've got the contractors, Thomas Armstrong, in now.

"We're working towards the end of March [to have the work completed]."

Meanwhile, Mr Crossley added that he is pleased a resource centre used by charities and clubs in the city has reopened.

The Shaddongate Resource Centre, which is used by Carlisle Boxing Club, the care organisation Oaklea Trust and Creative Horizons, also serves a new base for the head office of Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service (CVS).

The centre was one of many buildings in the Shaddongate area to flood.

Mr Crossley said: "Everyone is back in there and it has completely reopened, which we're really pleased about."

The city council said that it has carried out decoration work at the hostel, on John Street, while the clubhouse at Stony Holme Golf Club is yet to be restored, although players are able to use the course.