People are being urged to buy vouchers to use at their favourite businesses and help keep them going during the coronavirus crisis.

Creative agency Hotfoot Design, in Lancaster, and gift voucher platform Regalo are offering free online gift voucher shops to businesses in Cumbria.

People will be able to redeem the vouchers at pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and other venues when they re-open.

The shops are being hosted at website Vouch, where the vouchers can be purchased and delivered online.

Businesses already using the website include the Keswick Alhambra Cinema, the Duke of Edinburgh pub, in Barrow, Askham Hall, in Penrith, the Mill, in Ulverston and Storrs Hall Hotel, in Bowness.

Phil Simpson, director of C2 Investments, which owns the Duke of Edinburgh and the Mill, as well as other hospitality venues across Lancashire, said he hoped the scheme would help recovery when people were allowed to emerge from lockdown.

"This region has faced many challenges in its long history but none of them have ever hit with such speed or caused such a fundamental shift in our behaviour as this COVID-19 crisis," he said.

"Nevertheless, hardy ancient counties will always rebound and part of the North West revival will be local people focusing more of their spending on local businesses.

"This gift voucher represents a first step to creating self perpetuating growth in the North West’s economy, encouraging the green shoots of local recovery.

"It's a brilliant idea and I hope people across the region heartily embrace it."