Visitors arriving at a Cumbrian rail station have a mouth-watering welcome to the Lake District.

Prominently placed on the platform is a giant advertising billboard pointing to the tasty delights of world-famous Grasmere Gingerbread.

The hoarding at Windermere station urges visitors not to leave the Lake District without a piece of the region’s most iconic product.

“People may not have had the time to visit us when they were in the Lake District so this is a reminder,” explained Joanne Hunter, third generation owner of the 163-year-old Grasmere Gingerbread.

Railways have played a big part in the history of its original success.

Joanne explained: "Tourism and the arrival of steam trains in Cumbria in the 19th century brought lots of new people to Grasmere and the Lake District.

“They would then come across Sarah Nelson, who invented Grasmere Gingerbread in 1854, selling it outside her Church Cottage home - now the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.

“Then, her ‘selling’ platform was an old tree stump outside her home where she would offer people slices of gingerbread wrapped in parchment.

“This raised her profile and word-of-mouth gradually spread the message about Grasmere Gingerbread.”

The billboard will in place until November 5.