Cumbria benefitted from £72 million in European Union funding between 2014 and 2020, according to new analysis.

And there are fears that future funding will now be lost following the UK’s departure from the EU at the end of January – with the Brexit transition period running until the end of the year.

But Conservatives have stressed the Government will continue to investment in regional projects through the Shared Prosperity fund.

In 2017, the EU invested nearly £85m to support 3,528 farmers around Carlisle, according to the data.

And 21 research projects received nearly £3m in funding.

Seven projects were shown to have been given £7m of investment to create jobs around Carlisle, including Crown Packaging Manufacturing, which received £150,000 to support a research project it was undertaking.

Kingmoor Park Properties Limited was given £760,000 to fund 25 per cent of its development.

Conservative councillor John Mallinson, the leader of Carlisle City Council, backed the Government's Shared Prosperity Fund, intended to replace existing EU funding.

He said: “I think it's a very important initiative by the Government. I think it's important that businesses just don't fall off a cliff – I really don't want to see them suffer.

"We have lots of wonderful businesses in Cumbria and I want to see them get support so they can go on to get bigger and better."

Residents in Carlisle voted overwhelmingly to leave the European Union at the 2016 referendum. Sixty per cent of voters placed a cross in the leave box at the poll.

In the south of the county, Furness Academies Trust has received funding for a number of projects in a figure that comes to more than £700,000.

Barrow business Energy4All, based in Ironworks Road, benefitted from more than £230,000 from the EU for a sustainable energy project.

Money has been provided under the European Union Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Councillor Shaun Blezard, Barrow and Furness Labour Party’s policy officer said: “The lack of EU funding going forward is a worry for the area.

"The Cumbria Growth Hub reports that the EU funding for Cumbrian businesses between 2014-20 was around £72m.

“We are now waiting on the government to give our communities the investment that was promised during the election.

“There a number of sectors that are worried about how we leave Europe and the effects it will have on business locally.

“Farming and tourism in Cumbria look particularly fragile so we hope they will be supported moving forward.”

He added: “The main thing as communities we need to see over the next few years is proper investment in infrastructure and a return on the promises made.

 “There also needs to be a period of reconciliation nationally after the long arguments over Brexit.

“This is something that we all need to be involved in.”

Barrow’s Conservative MP Simon Fell, a supporter of leaving the EU, said the Government was committed to replacing the funding lost as a result of Brexit.

He said: “The equivalent of this funding will be managed by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, administered by the UK Government.

“The level of funding will be at least maintained at the current level.

“I would expect to see local authorities and partners involved in the consultation around this funding arrangement later this year.”

Mr Fell said people should not have to worry about the money being lost.

“It’s a direct transition of responsibilities and funding so I don’t see why they would,” he said.

Barrow also voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.