A LAKE District tourist information centre celebrated 10 years of being run as a community enterprise.

In 2006, a group of volunteers made up of local residents and businesspeople took over control of Coniston TIC from the Lake District National Park Authority.

Easter marked the 10th anniversary of it running as a not-for-profit business by the group who rent the building from the LDNPA.

It is visited by thousands of visitors each year to whom it dispenses information and ideas for their trips.

Next week the volunteers are having one of their regular business meetings, but this time it will be followed by drinks and nibbles to celebrate ten years of operation.

Bill Sharrod, one of the TIC directors, said: "The volunteers are absolutely vital, the place couldn't run without them.

"People still use information centres. If everyone was so dependent on the internet then why do they still come to us in their thousands?

"There's nothing like having someone in front of you telling you the information and the people appreciate the service."