Egremont students have been showing their pride for the county.

West Lakes Academy held a Proud to be Cumbrian Day - hosted by the academy's English department - to celebrate the county's accent and dialect.

Students researched features of the accent compared to standard English before writing and performing their own Cumbrian raps.

They also created dictionaries and acted out role play scenarios which switched between standard and non-standard English.

English teacher Carly Macleod said: "We organised the day as we wanted to equip students with the skills to switch to standard English in the right context while retaining their pride for their area. 

"It is important to teach students this pride so that they feel they have as much right as any other person from anywhere else in the country to be successful in life. 

"People will always stereotype you because of your accent so it is important to be aware of this and be confident that your ability and talent will speak louder than the sound of your voice."

The academy welcomed successful Cumbrians to talk about how their accent had influenced their success.

John Clarke, chief executive of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, spoke to students about the importance of switching between informal dialect and received pronunciation English when the scenario called for it. 

Former Cumbrian Business Woman of the Year Sally Fielding, of Sally's Cottages, discussed the importance of using correct language, spelling and grammar when applying for jobs.

"What the speakers stressed today was the importance of sometimes toning down your accent to make it clear and easier to understand in formal contexts," said Miss Macleod.

"The day was fantastic. Students have fully engaged in the appreciation of their own accent and dialect."