Cumbria's world-famous Lake District is set to be the star once again of a new prime time drama.

ITV has announced that it has commissioned the new six-part, female-led drama, which is set in Windermere.

The announcement comes days before Peter Rabbit is set to come to life on the big screen for the first time, voiced by James Corden.

Based on the characters and tales from Beatrix Potter, the film is released in UK cinemas on Friday.

Part of the new movie - set to be a huge hit this Easter - was shot in Windermere and Ambleside last year.

Meanwhile Deep Water is being adapted from the Windermere series of novels by critically-acclaimed author Paula Daly.

The ensemble drama focuses on the lives of three women, making "controversial choices in an attempt to hold everything together and keep their heads above deep water" as they try to do the best for their families.

ITV's head of drama Polly Hill said the show, set in Windermere, will be a "modern and layered series".

She said: "It's about three very different women on their own incredible and often shocking journeys, whose lives connect at the school gates.

"It's funny, sexy, truthful and often outrageous, and should have the audience asking what they would do to hold their own family together."

Film crews will be heading to Cumbria later this year to start shooting Deep Water in the autumn. The cast is yet to be announced.

The drama, being made by production company Kudos, is written by Anna Symon, who was also behind Indian Summer and The Wilsons.

Karen Wilson, chief creative officer for Kudos and executive producer, said: "We are thrilled to be working with Anna and ITV on bringing these wonderful books to life, and telling stories about modern women in an interesting and beautiful part of rural Britain."

The series will be distributed internationally by Endemol Shine International.

Paula Daly has written five novels and her work has been sold in 15 countries and shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Crime Novel of the Year award.

She was born in Lancashire and lives in the Lake District with her husband, three children, and whippet Skippy.

Cumbria has already been the focus of soap fans up and down the land with Coronation Street heading from the cobbles to the coast, filming in and around Whitehaven recently.

Last summer, the Lake District was once again popular with location managers.

Several spots were used during the filming of BBC's The A Word and Pooley Bridge was where Johnny Vegas and the rest of the cast and crew for comedy Home from Home set up their base.

Other television programmes and films showcasing the Lake District and Cumbria in recent years have included Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Swallows and Amazons and ITV drama Safe House.

Several have used extras from Carlisle-based Lakeside Castings.