An author has released a book about the attempted murder of a hiker in the Lake District back in 1959. 

Whiskey on a Sunday is a book by L.R.Croft (Laurie Croft) about Joyce Hughes, a 22-year old woman from Liverpool who was the victim of an attack while out hiking: 

"It was vicious" Laurie said. "She suffered so many stab wounds that she shouldn't have survived. The police chief called her the 'Miracle Girl.'"

Joyce survived through strength of will, having crawled to the side of a field after her attacker fled. 

She was spotted by Harry Cross, a road-worker who happened to inspect the field she was attacked in. He raised the alarm. She was then given first-aid by William Dargue and his wife, a local sheep-farmer. 

After she arrived in Kendal Hospital, the nurse said Joyce could only be saved through an operation. She got in touch with Percy Jewsbury, a Blackpool surgeon who then came up to Kendal and saved Joyce's life.  

Laurie said that the people who saved her were "heroes who should receive recognition. It's definitely something to think back on." 

The book is called Whisky on a Sunday because Joyce's brother was Glyn Hughes, a folk singer from Liverpool who at the time was writing the lyrics to the famous song. Laurie thinks that Whisky on a Sunday was written by Glyn about what happened to his sister. 

Laurie hopes that his book will contribute to historical discussion about Kendal, and that some of his readers will remember the incident: 

"I hope that people might read the book and recall the events of that summer in 1959. It was in the national news at the time." 

Laurie also wants to put an appeal for information about a friend of Joyce. Joyce was initially going to hitch-hike across the Lake District with her friend but she cancelled at the last minute. Laurie still does not know who this friend was.

Whiskey on a Sunday was published by Elmwood Books.