“SOUTH Lakeland’s real ale drinkers might have thought it was time to turn teetotal today if they saw a racehorse downing a pint.”

So began a report by The Mail on September 11, 1992.

It went on: “They have nothing to fear - six-year-old mare Deb’s Delight was due to quaff a pint and get the three-day South Lakeland Beer Festival under way at Cartmel’s Cavendish Arms.”

Landlord Tom Murray invited local racehorse trainer Dudley Moffatt to bring the mare, fresh from her victory over the sticks at Cartmel two weeks previously, to open the festival, which mixed ale with jazz and folk music.

Eighteen leading beers were on offer.

Entertainment would include Furness Morris Men, the New Hall Jazz Band, the Furness Jazz Quartet and Sheffield Folk Dance Group. Also performing would be local entertainer John Nick.

In 1996 Lord Cavendish, Jane Sharpe, the chair of the Cartmel Minibus Appeal and fundraisers gathered to celebrate the arrival of the new Cartmel Peninsula Minibus at Holker Hall.

Lord Cavendish received the bus on behalf of the peninsula.

An appeal had raised more than £18,000 in just over 18 months to buy a newly refurbished M-reg minibus available for groups in the area.

The following year the minibus was used to publicise a Government grant scheme to help people in the countryside improve transport.

The Rural Development Commission was offering grants of up to 50 per cent to a maximum of £25,000 to help people launch rural community bus services where they did not exist, or to start rural car sharing and taxi schemes.

A leaflet to promote the scheme included information and a picture of the Cartmel Peninsula Minibus, which was based at Cartmel School and was run by the Cartmel Community Minibus Association.

The RDC helped the scheme with a £2,500 grant, which paid for lift equipment, enabling disabled people to get on and off.