A BURY couple have flocked to support a charity campaign that has seen 60 decorated model sheep invade the Lake District.

Paula and Graham Smith, who are originally from Walshaw, set up Lingmoor Guest House in Windermere in 2009 after finding the property through Channel 4 show A Place in the Sun.

Having hit the headlines for their generous gestures in offering free rooms to flood victims, both in 2009 and last year, the couple have now turned their attention to showing that Cumbria is very much open to visitors again.

They have sponsored one of the Go Herdwick sheep, which are dotted throughout Cumbria as part of a public art trail raising money for The Calvert Trust.

Mr Smith said: "We immediately signed up for one of the sheep and did have an original idea of how we wanted it decorating by our artist Jane Veveris Callan, based in Bath.

"However, after the floods Paula and I wanted to create a positive message and the answer was staring us right in the face.

"We both had a lightbulb moment and said how about 'A Sheep in the Sun', as after all we found the guesthouse through the show.

"We also wanted to depict on our sheep how beautiful the Lake District looks whatever season it is and so, after giving Jane our brief, she set to work at the beginning of January on our ewe and eight weeks later she was ready.

"Jane had interpreted our brief perfectly, showing all the seasons in the Lakes under a large sun on the ewes back.

"We took delivery of our sheep on March 21, a week before the Public Art Trail started and, as you can see from the picture, the sheep has had a lot of attention - including from other four legged varieties."

The public art trail is running until September 4, then all the sheep will be auctioned off to raise more money for the charity.

Mrs Smith added: "We are so pleased to be part of this trail as we think it will bring a lot of people to The Lake District this year which will help the local economy and also raise money for a great cause."