A UNIQUE historical insight into the life of a North Lancashire parish in the early 1700s has been republished by former BBC Radio 4 news and current affairs producer Andy Denwood.

A History of Warton Parish was written in the early 18th Century by the Carnforth-born schoolmaster John Lucas. It has been out of print for more than 80 years but now local writer Andy has edited and republished the classic work in a handsome new hardback edition with an introduction about John Lucas and illustrations by Milnthorpe artist Daphne Lester.

The history covers the ancient parish of Warton, which included Carnforth, Silverdale, Borwick, Priest Hutton and the Yealands.

Andy will be out and about on a 'mini-tour' speaking about A History of Warton Parish author John Lucas and his local history at a series of meetings around the parish.

The first is on Thursday, September 28, at Warton Village Hall, moving on to Priest Hutton Memorial Hall on Tuesday, October 3, and Yealand Village Hall on Wednesday, October 4.

“It’s a fascinating glimpse into 18th Century rural life,” explains Andy, who worked on programmes such as Today and World at One and the Manchester-based investigative strand File on 4. “From descriptions of the old rush bearing ceremony and football in Warton’s main street to the way farmers used gunpowder to blow up rocks in the fields. Very few parishes in England have a local history book written this early.”

Andy still works as a freelance radio producer and is also the author of Leighton Moss from Ice Age to Present Day (Carnegie Publishing, 2014).

The book - officially launched at the Story of Silverdale series of weekend events organised by Arnside and Silverdale AONB Landscape Trust - will be available to buy after Andy's talks, along with signed, limited edition prints of illustrations by Daphne Lester.

All the talks start at 7.30pm.

A History of Warton Parish by John Lucas is published by Andy Denwood. For further information visit www.andydenwood.com.