A retired submariner was the new landlord at the helm of the Cavendish Arms pub in Market Place, Dalton, in 1995.

Newly-weds Murdoch and Eileen MacDonald, 41, had taken over from retiring publicans Gordon and Eileen Brown.

Mr MacDonald, originally from Ballachulish, Argyllshire, was no stranger to Furness, having lived in the area for the previous four years while working on Barrow-built Trident Submarine HMS Victorious.

He said: “I retired last month from the Navy after 25 years’ service. I was getting a bit long in the tooth for that kind of work.”

Mr MacDonald, a chief petty electric engineers officer, served on the submarine HMS Conqueror during the Falklands conflict in 1982.

As for the ghost said to haunt the pub premises, Mr MacDonald joked: “We’re aware of the stories but we have had no visitations yet.

"We’ll just play it by ear and try not to upset it!”

In 1999 a Barrow couple fed up with living hundreds of miles apart had taken over a Furness pub so they could be together.

Ian Atkinson, 42, and Donna Stokes, 36, were living separate lives due to their jobs as a contractor and Evening Mail advertising representative.

Ian's welding job took him all over Europe from Holland to Southern Ireland, which meant the couple only got to see each other one weekend in five.

Determined to change the situation, they decided to make a personal dream of running their own pub together come true.

They had become tenants at the Cavendish Arms in Market Place, Dalton, and had big plans for the pub.

Donna said: “We want the Cavendish to be a traditional drinker’s pub like they used to be.

“We’re just going to try to accommodate what people want from a pub.”

A grand opening night was planned with a free buffet and a band.