A POPULAR slate mine has received a well-known visitor as part of a television advert - exposing it to millions of viewers.

Honister Slate Mine in the Honister Pass was paid a visit by This Morning's Alison Hammond as part of NatWest and ITV's Backing Business advert, first showed on the evening of Monday October 25.

The advert, which showed Alison's visit to the mine as an 'intern for the day', is part of the Backing Business campaign to help small businesses in the country thrive.

Jan Wilkinson, director of Honister Slate Mine, said the coverage was a big opportunity for the business.

"I hope the advert will be beneficial to us and it's been something that we have been very happy to get [involved] with," said Jan.

"We are honoured to have been included in something that they have spent millions of pounds on.

"We were happy because it gets imagery of the Lake District and Cumbria out there and that means a lot to myself and the family and Honister.

"It brings people to our communities. We have had a busy year and we have all seen the numbers of people that have visited.

"If there are people that have been for the first time, they need to be reminded of the memories they [made here] so that they will come back again."

The slate mine is no stranger to well-known figures, having had TV presenter Julia Bradbury and even the late Prince Philip visit.

Jan said it was a pleasure to add Alison to that list.

"Alison is a wonderful character," said Jan.

"She actually reduced me to tears when she was doing a piece to camera and I think she was enamoured with the Lake District.

"She got right in there. She was out of her comfort zone going on the via ferrata and was in awe when she got to the top of Fleetwith Pike.

"She was humbled by some of the skills [on show] and the way in which we manufacture the slate. She hadn't realised how important it was and how much of a mark it has made on the valleys and towns that she had driven through to get to us.

"It was a long day, but it was very fun."