A judge has begun to oversee a High Court battle featuring bosses at a multimillion-pound infrastructure business which started up in an isolated Lake District village half a century ago.

Bosses at the Stobart Group, which began life when founder Eddie Stobart went into business as an agricultural contractor in Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria, during the 1960s, have sued former chief executive Andrew Tinkler.

They say Mr Tinkler conspired with other businessmen to harm the company's interests.

Bosses have also have made claims about money spent on air travel, and want a judge to rule that he was lawfully dismissed.

Mr Tinkler, who was chief executive of the business between 2007 and 2017, denies wrongdoing, saying he was removed for no good reason, and has counter-claimed.

Judge Jonathan Russen began overseeing a trial, which is due to last more than two weeks, in London today.