POSTMAN Pat creator John Cunliffe has used a Lakeland holiday to celebrate his geographical link to the Swallows and Amazons writer Arthur Ransome.

Mr Cunliffe, who started writing about Pat and his cat Jess while teaching in Kendal in the 1970s, returned to South Lakeland to holiday in Ransome's former home at Hill Top near Haverthwaite, where the writer spent the last years of his life.

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Mr Cunliffe, 82, and his wife Sylvia, also went for dinner with the owners of the holiday cottage, Stephen and Janine Sykes, who live in the main house – and John and Sylvia had their photos taken sitting by Ransome’s fireplace.

“They were a delightful couple and it was lovely to spend some time with them,” said Mr Sykes.

“John signed some pictures of Postman Pat and we’ll be using one for display at the cottage. John also gave us four signed Postman Pat books. He left a lovely long comment in our guest book extolling the virtues of Hill Top with additional thanks from Postman Pat and Jess.”

Mr Cunliffe created Greendale, where Postman Pat is set, based on the Lakeland valley of Longsleddale, near Kendal, while Arthur Ransome set his children's sailing adventures around Windermere and Coniston.