A blue plaque is to be erected on the former home of climber and artist Bill Peascod.

Little is known about the Maryport outside of the climbing circle but a group at the Maryport Settlement on castle Hill is aiming to change that with the blue plaque, a film and an exhibition.

He was a pioneering climber in the Lake District before emigrating to Australia. He was also a prolific artist whose works have gained a following since his death.

Maryport Town Council has paid for the blue plaque which will be unveiled at his 17th Century cottage at 85 Main Street on May 3.

Fellow climber, writer and friend Bill Birkett will attending and as will filmmaker Steve Wharton. who has been commissioned to make the film of the life of Bill Peascod who would have been 101.

In the two weeks leading up to the plaque unveiling, an exhibition will be held in the Senhouse Street cafe formerly Ma's Pantry.

This is being refurbished by businessman Gareth Falkingham and his son Jeremy.

Although not officially open for business, the men will open the cafe to the exhibition.

This will include a series of four collages depicting aspects of Peascod's life.

The collages the the result of another project funded by the town council which saw the Settlement's resident artist visit schools before lockdown to discuss the life of the climber and artist and look at ways to depict that life in art.

The exhibition will also feature photographs and information about the life and passions of Bill Peascod,including ones of his Lake District climbs.

Called “At Home in Steep Places” after the engraving on Bill’s headstone, the film will trace his life as a child miner in 1930s Cumbria, mining engineer, teacher and respected climber.

It will follow him to Australia where he became an internationally renowned artist and back to his beloved Cumbria where he continued painting and climbing. The film will incorporate original music and will be filmed in Cumbria and Australia.

The documentary should be out by May 5.