WHEN Gazette food writer Gillian Cowburn sent Rick Stein a copy of the newspaper's latest Taste of the Lakes supplement, little did she realise the impact it would have.

Rick was so impressed that not only did he say "keep up the good work" but he also passed Taste of the Lakes on to Plymouth-based Denham Productions, the film unit which makes his Food Heroes series for the BBC. Gillian was then asked to send copies of some of her Gazette articles to help researchers in their search for local food producers to film for the next series, which is scheduled to be transmitted this autumn.

Gillian had gone to Damson Day hoping for a ten-minute interview with Rick. But her enthusiastic account of the local food scene made such an impression on programme producer David Pritchard that he commandeered her for part of the film.

"He wouldn't take no for an answer," said Gillian, who shared the limelight with Westmorland Damson Association chairman Peter Cartmell.

Gillian added: "I was so nervous I can't remember what I said. I just wanted Rick to know how lucky we are in this part of the world to have so many wonderful local food producers."

April 17, 2003 14:30