A DRIVE-through coronavirus testing facility is to open in Cumbria.

The site, at Penrith Rugby Club, sits alongside a rapidly expanding network of testing sites being set up around the UK, and is operating on an appointment-only basis for NHS staff and other key workers.

The next nearest for people from south Cumbria is at Preston.

Both are more than one hour's drive away.

This follows the launch of the Government’s partnership with universities, research institutes and companies to begin rollout of the network of new labs and testing sites across the UK, with 31 regional testing sites opened to date.

This network will provide thousands more swab tests - which are used to identify if you currently have the virus - for critical key workers, starting with NHS front line staff.

This means those who test negative for coronavirus can return to work as soon as possible, and those who test positive are able to recover.

Health Minister Lord Bethell said: “The Government is rapidly scaling up the national effort to boost testing capacity for coronavirus to protect the vulnerable, support our NHS, and ultimately save lives.

“This new service will help end the uncertainty of whether NHS and social care staff and other key workers need to stay at home, meaning those who test negative will be able to return to work.

“This is a national effort and we are proud to be working with a number of partners to turn this ambition into a reality and roll out additional capacity to where it is needed.”

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Slattery, chair of Cumbria Local Resilience Forum, said: “This is welcome news and will significantly increase the testing capacity in the county, building on the good work done by local partners to date.

"Increasing testing is vital to support people getting back to work as soon as safely possible and managing the next phase of this pandemic, and this new testing centre will be of great help.”

The Government is also urgently working on setting up a home-testing service.