One of the country’s most recognisable dogs delighted youngsters in a Cumbrian town.

Old English Sheepdog Lewis, the current face of the Dulux paint brand, welcomed visitors to the Lakes Home Centre, on Low Road in Cockermouth.

It took general manager Gary Whetton nearly a year to organise the visit, but he was delighted with how well it went down.

“It was a fantastic day. Everyone who walked through the door reacted, their faces were a picture,” said Gary.

“We expected the youngsters would love him but all the adults did too, everyone recognises him from growing up.

“It was a busy day and Lewis created such a buzz.

“He’s such a well-loved dog and was so well behaved.

“He was there for over four hours with lots of youngsters patting him but stayed so calm.”

Hundreds of people took selfies with Lewis. Many of them then uploaded them to the store’s website. Staff chose a winner, Patricia Bowe, who sent in a photo of her three children, who won £50 of Dulux vouchers.

“All the photos were dead cute,” said Gary.

He had first come across Lewis at a trade show last year.

“He was there to meet and greet people. I thought it was a fantastic idea and looked into booking him,” said Gary.

“He was very booked up but it worked out well in the end as he was able to come on Good Friday.”

The Dulux dog made its debut in the company’s first TV ad in 1961, promoting the company as a ‘family brand’.

The adverts were a big hit and gained the company a lot of interest through the popularity and friendly nature of the new star of the show.

Lewis, who lives in the Birmingham area, is the latest on a list of 15 dogs that have starred in the company’s famous advert.