HUNDREDS of Cumbria's civil servants staged a walkout yesterday (Thursday) leaving job centres, benefits offices and pensions centres across the county closed or short-staffed.

The strike action, by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union, meant the closure of Kendal's Social Security office, as well as the Millom and Penrith branches of Jobcentre Plus. Sir Richard Mottram, permanent secretary of the Department for Work and Pensions said the strike the third this year due to a long-running pay dispute was "neither justified or necessary".