Guide book for Prisoner fans

The book will guide Prisoner fans around Portmeirion

Fans of the cult TV series The Prisoner can be taken step-by-step around the Italianate village where it was filmed in north Wales.

The programme starring Patrick McGoohan hit British screens in 1967 and made Portmeirion in Gwynedd world-famous.

On Tuesday a dedicated guidebook highlighting locations where the series was filmed is launched.

The village, south of Porthmadog, welcomes thousands of visitors every year and the guidebook's author Catherine Nemeth Frumerman hopes the trend will continue.

"Listen to any visitor to Portmeirion village and you are likely to hear him or her mention The Prisoner," she said.

Escape

"This portable guide is meant to accompany you around Portmeirion like a companion conversant with the village, pointing out places of interest, reminding you of a scene."

The show portrayed Patrick McGoohan, as a secret agent held among a brainwashed population held captive by a mysterious regime.

The prisoners were known only by numbers.

There were no bars or barbed wire, but massive balloons would smother anyone attempting to escape.

The series was shown in more than 60 countries throughout the world.

The cast of Cold Feet filmed at Portmeirion

The book will help fans of the show pinpoint the famous scenes filmed at the village - designed by William Clough-Ellis and opened in 1925.

It also includes an unpublished collection of private behind-the scenes photographs taken in Portmeirion during filming.

The author became interested in The Prisoner series in 1968.

"But what especially caught and kept my attention over the years was this wonderful place in which The Prisoner himself was kept captive, that of course was Portmeirion," she said.

The village has become popular with television producers - most recently the final episode of ITV drama Cold Feet was filmed there.

The characters visited the resort to scatter the ashes of Rachel Bradley - played by Helen Baxendale - where she and husband Adam - played by James Nesbitt - had enjoyed romantic times together.

The resort attracts 250,000 visitors each year.