Julia Bradbury: 'love affair' with Keswick

Fellwalking pin-up Julia Bradbury will brighten a flood-hit town this week when she turns on the Keswick Christmas lights.

The Cumbrian town was badly affected, along with Cockermouth and Workington during unprecedented floods during which a record rainfall was recorded in Borrowdale, south of the Keswick. Ms Bradbury, who has spent much of her time in the Lake District filming episodes of Wainwright’s Walks, will switch on the lights this Friday.

The television presenter will be on hand to greet visitors and residents and turn on the festive display at 5.30pm in the Market Square. She will also launch an appeal to help victims of the floods.

The keen hillwalker, who also presents the BBC’s Countryfile and recently took part in the Children in Need series Around the World in Eighty Days, said: “I can’t wait to get to Keswick to show my support. Turning on the lights will be a real honour as Keswick and I have had a love affair ever since the Wainwright Walks programmes.

“I’m sure the people of the Lakes will use their resolve and sense of community to get through yet another tough challenge.”

The lights switch-on will be preceded by the Keswick food fair.

The town’s Greta and Station Street bridges are both still closed, but the town can be accessed from the A66 and the A591 avoiding these two river crossings.