Lake District sees Potter effect

Renee Zellweger shot scenes for Miss Potter in Cumbria

Tourist attractions in the Lake District claim a rise in visitors has been prompted by the film Miss Potter.

Bridget Jones actress Renee Zellweger stars in the biopic of Beatrix Potter, who created many of her animal characters in Cumbria.

The World of Beatrix Potter reported a 35% boost in visitor numbers in 2007. Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel and Mountain Goat tours also saw rises.

One in five people said the Miss Potter film was the reason for their visit.

'Great advert'

Richard Foster, general manager of The World of Beatrix Potter, said: "There was definitely a significant Miss Potter effect in 2007.

"The film was a great advert, not only for Beatrix Potter but also for the Lake District as a whole."

Mountain Goat saw a 40% increase in the number of people doing their daily tours.

And Lindeth Howe, which was once owned by Beatrix Potter, said bookings had been up by as much as 15% in some months compared with 2006.

The Potter effect is set to continue with the film recently seeing its release in Japan.