BRITAIN's national tourist board has been promoting day trips in Wales using an iconic image of the Lake District.

A photograph of Skiddaw from Ashness Bridge, near Keswick, is being used to promote days out from Cardiff to the Brecon Beacons.

The hiccup happened on the official website for Visit Britain - the national tourism agency responsible for promoting Britain worldwide.

The photo was used to promote a $79 per person day-trip from the Welsh capital city with American audiences in mind.

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The blurb read: "Tour stops include: Brecon Beacons National Park – see the stunning lakes, waterfalls and peaks of this world-famous site."

But tourists hoping to see Ashness Bridge would be disappointed because the popular Lake District view is actually around 250 miles away or a five hour drive.

The National Trust describes Ashness Bridge as 'the most photographed packhorse bridge in the Lake District '.

The mistake has left tourism bosses in the Lake District chuckling - not least Ian Stephens, managing director of Cumbria Tourism, who is originally from South Wales.

Greg Stephenson, Cumbria Tourism’s PR Manager, said: "It’s flattering that VisitBritain have used Surprise View, Ashness Bridge, Borrowdale, to portray the Welsh countryside, after all the Lake District’s offering is the best in the world!

"I know historically the two areas were closely tied, with Cumbria even deriving its name from the Brythonic Celtic language – perhaps we should reunite and create a greater Cumbria to assist our friends in London, especially as they don’t seem to know their geography."

And hotelier Jonathan Denby, who is President of the Lakes Hospitality Association, added: "This is what happens when you have a Welshman in charge of Cumbria Tourism- congratulations to Ian Stephens for getting into the psyche of Welsh tourism."

A spokesman for Visit Britain described it as a 'glitch' with how photographs had been tagged, which meant it had appeared as a Brecon Beacons image rather than a Lake District photo. The image has now been replaced, he said.