THE quiet Cumbrian village of Ireby may have missed out on a potential tourism goldmine after a major television programme featuring the village was scrapped by the BBC.

The village, near Keswick, could have cashed in on BBC2's Cumbrian Tales and attracted hundreds of visitors, and Cumbria Tourist Board is lamenting the loss of the chance to generate more tourism in the north of the county.

The English Tourist Board has revealed how holidaymakers are flocking to areas linked with television programmes. Areas of North Yorkshire featured in Heartbeat and All Creatures Great and Small have long enjoyed a thriving tourist industry on the back of those programmes.

But Ireby villagers this week were more concerned they were being denied the opportunity to see the 'fly-on-the-wall' documentary rather than the missed opportunity to cash in on the series.

Viewers who tuned in to see the second episode of BBC2's Cumbrian Tales were shocked when it was announced the programme was being ditched.

The BBC explained it had discovered a ''conflict of interest'' - the series' producer and Ireby resident Paddy McCreanor had an interest in Paddy's Bar, which featured in the series.

''I don't think we've missed out, we weren't really looking for fame or more visitors,'' said Dianne Mumberson, who runs the Post Office and the village's only shop, as well as helping out in the adjoining Paddy's Bar.

''We don't really want any more tourists coming here - there's only two pubs and one shop,'' she added.

But Cumbria Tourist Board chief executive Chris Collier said: ''The Ireby programme if it had gone ahead would have been brilliant for that part of the county. It's a real shame, it could have brought lots of visitors.''

There was amazement among Ireby villagers that the BBC had not discovered the ''conflict of interest'' long before the programme was scheduled for screening.

''It was no secret that Paddy was involved in Paddy's Bar,'' said one shopper at Mrs Mumberson's shop. ''I think the BBC should vet their programmes before wasting all that licence-payers' money,'' said another Ireby resident.

The series is understood to have cost £300,000 and 18 months to make. The BBC would not shed any more light this week on the matter.

Producer Mr McCreanor was unavailable for comment, but in press material relating to the programme, he said: ''It became obvious to me that here was a perfect venue, right on my own doorstep (quite literally) for me to give an insight into what the countryside is all about.''

Sadly, Ireby villagers and the television-viewing nation will not now get to see it.

However, as one resident pointed out, coachloads of visitors might still make their way to Ireby... intrigued by the controversy surrounding the television series that never was.

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