A Cumbrian railway museum's redevelopment has been honoured with a prestigious national award.

Ravenglass Railway Museum scooped the top spot for large groups in the Heritage Railway Association awards, in recognition of its comprehensive redevelopment and extension project which opened in June.

The museum, which opened in 1978, was redeveloped between 2015 and last year.

It received a £490,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and support from Copeland Community Fund, Arts Council England, Fisheries Local Action Group, Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society.

David Rounce, museum manager, said: "It’s a tremendous honour to receive this award.

"We’re extremely proud of our new museum and the award is a testament to the combined efforts of our staff, volunteers and funders over the last few years. To use a pun – we’re all chuffed to bits.”

Peter Van Zeller, curator, said: "It is a great honour. Forty years after first opening, our aspirations to tell the fascinating story of La'al Ratty have been revitalised.

"It is grand to see visitors, young and young at heart involved with the history we all share with this little railway and the people who have kept it running against all odds for approaching 150 years.”

David Moore, chairman of Copeland Community Fund, said: "We are immensely proud that one of our most recent grant recipients, Ravenglass Railway Museum, has won this national Heritage Railways Association Award. It is a fantastic recognition of the effort, commitment and enthusiasm of staff and volunteers.”

A spokesman for the Heritage Railway Association said: "This new state of the art museum is a credit to all those involved.

"It not only shows the history of the railway through both large and small exhibits, but also the life, and social aspects of Ravenglass and the Eskdale Valley."