Popular brand Hawkshead Relish has been helping put the Lake District on the map.

Maria Whitehead, co-owner, played host to Natalie Bain, deputy director for the Northern Powerhouse at the Department for International Trade, and Paul Stowers, head of the North West Region.

The pair visited Hawkshead Relish’s head office at Esthwaite Old Hall Barn, where they toured the site, met members of the team and heard about Hawkshead Relish’s international export successes ahead of a Northern Powerhouse networking event.

Mrs Whitehead said: "We have already seen a lift in sales related to the status, especially in our export markets. We have found that they are far more receptive to our product ranges, partly due to our growing international reputation as a food business but also in part due to the fact that the reputation of the area has been considerably elevated in the eyes of the international business community."

Ms Bain said: "It’s great to see companies like Hawkshead Relish firmly embracing the opportunities presented to them through Department of International Trade and as a result they now export to 12 countries globally, and have more markets expressing interest in what they are doing.’’