KENDAL'S Festival of Food is to reach new heights this year with footage of last year's event to be shown on in-bound flights to the United Kingdom.

The annual two-day event, which celebrates the finest food and drink from across the North of England, has been chosen by British Airways for inclusion in a prestigious in-flight passenger tourism film.

Footage and stills of the 2014 festival, together with details of this year’s event being held on March 7 and 8, will be featured in a 20-minute What’s On guide which looks to showcase the very best of the UK’s visitor attractions.

The video will be broadcast on all of BA’s in-bound flights this Spring to a captive audience of around 1.2 million, primarily made up of foreign tourists, dignitaries, business executives and returning Brits.

The professional standard B-roll footage was provided by Kendal College whose students had documented last year’s festival to help them gain valuable skills and experience of reportage film techniques.

Festival organiser Cath Dutton said: “This year’s festival is set to be bigger and better than ever and I’m thrilled that British Airways has selected it for inclusion in their in-flight what’s on film.

“It’s the kind of international exposure we could never hope to get through traditional paid-for advertising and marketing, even if we had the budget for such activities, and I’m confident it will help drive even more awareness and footfall to the event.”

Matt Williams from Explore South Lakeland, the South Lakeland District Council-led programme that seeks to highlight the high quality lifestyle and cultural offer in South Lakeland said: “South Lakeland is known globally for its natural beauty but is also now being recognised for its growing calendar of internationally renowned events and festivals. It’s important to promote our leisure, retail and entertainment offer locally, nationally and globally.

“We’re therefore delighted that the Festival of Food has been chosen by British Airways for this Best of British tourism guide as it will really help put Kendal, the festival and our outstanding food and drink producers, restaurateurs and retailers firmly on the international foodie map.”

Matt Burke, who heads up Kendal College’s Arts and Media campus, said: “Kendal College supports many events and festivals in and around South Lakeland and they offer our students an unrivalled opportunity to get involved in large, dynamic and interesting projects and develop real ‘on the ground’ creative and technical skills.

“The fact some of our student’s footage is set to be shown to tens of thousands of BA customers coming to the UK as part of an official in-flight passenger movie is a testament to the quality of the work they undertake and the value of our partnerships with the likes of the Kendal Festival of Food.”

For more details of this year’s Kendal Festival of Food visit www.kendalfestivaloffood.co.uk