A new University of Cumbria campus could be on the cards for Barrow, it has been revealed.

Barrow and Furness MP Simon Fell outlined his ambition for a campus to be established in the town in an article penned for in-Cumbria sister title The Mail.

And the University of Cumbria’s vice chancellor Professor Julie Mennell confirmed the institution is weighing up how it can extend its presence in Barrow – but stressed discussions were “at an early stage”.

The university has two campuses in Carlisle, another in Ambelside, at Energus in Workington, along with Lancaster and London.

While it has a centre at Furness College, Mr Fell has an ambition to see the university’s presence significantly increased.

He wrote: “Bringing a campus to Barrow would be transformative, and it’s clear that the University of Cumbria recognise the opportunities that it brings to capitalise on the skills and business in Furness.

“One of my biggest concerns for Furness as a whole is our population – it’s ageing, declining and we’re seeing a brain-drain to the big cities.

“A campus in Barrow would be a line in the sand which would start to turn that trend around. Watch this space.”

In response Prof Mennell, said: “The University of Cumbria was established to address higher level skills needs across Cumbria, operating through a distributed model of locations and campuses.

“Our strategic focus includes seeking to extend our presence and offer in Barrow, to support its economy, young people and communities.

“We are pleased to be working with a range of stakeholders to explore how best we can do this though discussions are at an early stage at this point.”