VILLAGERS who were evacuated from their homes for a week have been allowed to return.

Engineers have assessed a grassy bank overlooking Parton and deemed it safe for some residents to go home - although two houses remain in a cordon.

A team of geotechnical engineers started assessing the bank last Thursday and a large area of vegetation was cleared using automatic mowers over the weekend to allow for visual investigations.

At the same time the engineers installed sophisticated digital monitoring equipment to monitor any movement in the bank.

Visual inspections have now concluded there has been some slippage to the bank but it is not clear as to when this occurred.

There is no evidence to show a recent landslip and engineers believe the ‘cracking’ that was reported to be a landslip is the ‘dying off’ of some vegetation as a result of the recent dry weather.

The noise that was reported to have been a landslip cannot be accounted for from the evidence gained through site surveys and would appear to have been from another source, said a Cumbria County Council spokesman.

Further monitoring and surveys will continue this week along with ground investigations to determine the bank stability to assess the material content and impact of any water present within the bank. Engineers will also drill bore holes and take soil samples which will help determine whether any remedial works are required to the bank.

The road closure will also be lifted but the playground and St Bridget’s School remains closed - and is likely to be for some weeks to come.

Head teacher Ruth Colley said while it would be preferable to go back to school as usual 'the reality is that until we have assurance that it is safe to do so we can’t'.'

"Today’s news at least gives us some clarity about what needs to happen next and we hope to be in a position to confirm a location for the new temporary school soon," she said.

"Our pupils have been through a lot in the last 18 months and my priority is minimising the disruption to their education. From discussions so far I’m confident that a new temporary school can provide a good teaching and learning environment and that along with the children’s wellbeing is what’s most important.”

Residents have also been overwhelmed at the kindness shown to them after a grocery drop from Morrison’s for all those who were evacuated.

Jules Huck said that was down to 'the awesome Morrison’s champion Sharon Graham.'

Collections have started to help the evacuated families and especially the displaced children, who all under six years old.