ROARING fires and hot chocolates were all part and parcel of the magical opening of a very special winter market.

The autumn sunshine beamed down on Holker Hall on Saturday and Sunday as crowds of people flocked to the historic estate to celebrate the very best of Cumbria's talented craftspeople and food producers.

People from far and wide came to wander round the wonderful stalls as festive smells of mulled wine and hot pork rolls drifted through the air.

Debbie Prescott, 54, who had never visited before, said: "It's lovely. It's really nice. We've just been mooching around looking at all the stalls and talking to people. We've bumped into so many people and it's just nice to get into the Christmas spirit."

Her friend, Joanne Horne, 56, said: "It's been beautiful weather. We came last year but it threw it down.

"It's just nice because it gets you ready for Christmas. We've been looking at things for presents and getting ideas for people."

The market was full of talented people displaying their handmade wares which included everything from ornate glassware to cosy cushions and tasty treats.

One such producer is owner of Kin Toffee Vodka, Judith Wren, who has come back fighting after her Newby Bridge home was flooded by Storm Desmond last year.

She said: "We just kept going. We slushed around in our wellies getting all our orders out. It was hard but we didn't lose an order."

Mrs Wren has been exhibiting at the Holker Hall Winter Market for a number of years and is delighted to have seen it develop over the years.

She said: "This is my third event year. It's a great event, it's getting bigger every year and it's really well organised. When you've got weather like today you can't go anywhere better than here.

"It has been great. We've been busy from the word go."

Another producer was Ed Whitfield, from Haverigg, who was selling his range of amazing recycled goods.

Mr Whitfield is founder of UpcyclEd - a company that takes broken down washing machine drums and turns them into quirky household goods such as drinks coolers, open fires and barbecues among many more.

No stranger to trade fairs, Mr Whitfield often goes out and about to display his unique range but believes there is something special about Holker Hall Winter Market.

He said: "It's a great show and the atmosphere is really nice. It was a bit wild, wet and windy last year but it had a really nice feel so we thought we'd come back again this year."

Millom youngsters Caitlin Hogarth and Illyana Gibson were also enjoying the show.

Tucking into a chocolate pumpkin lollipop Illyana, who is nine, said: "We've been eating. We've had chocolate lollipops and hot chocolates. It's a bit different to what we normally do but it's really fun."