A new app inspired by the life of Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson has been approved after receiving £20,000 of funding.

The project involves the creation and operation of the app which will guide people on a series of trails around the Millom area based on the places that Mr Nicholson loved.

The £20,000 has been made available thanks to Copeland Council’s successful bid to the government as part of the Towns Fund Programme.

Initially the app will consist of two trails when it launches next year, eventually building up to five.

Although the trails are inspired by the writing of Norman Nicholson and the routes which he used to walk on a regular basis, there will also be trails aimed at general visitors.

The app will provide routes and include images, text and audio to allow visitors to learn about Millom, its history, heritage, and points of interest in an interactive experience.

It is hoped that the app will be ready to be launched and up and running by the end of March 2021.

Leading the project, The Norman Nicholson House Community Interest Company (CIC) has received enough funding to develop the app and operate it for the next five years.

Charlie Lambert, chair of the Norman Nicholson CIC, said: “This app is going to bring to life the places loved by Norman Nicholson and introduce them to a new, 21st century audience.

“Norman was remarkable in the way he found value in places and objects overlooked by the casual observer and the app will let us share these with visitors literally following in his footsteps.

“We are grateful to the Millom Town Board and Copeland Council for their wonderful support.”

Mike Starkie, mayor of Copeland, said: “This is an exciting and important project for the Millom community, and I am delighted that it will soon come to fruition.

“It is another step in the regeneration of Millom, while looking to the future in terms of the app, but also acknowledging the past in one of the town’s best-known figures.”

Copeland Council successfully bid for a total of £500,000 immediate funding for Millom while work is ongoing by the Town Board on the significant funding bid of up to £25 million due in January 2021.

Millom’s remaining money is earmarked for an upgrade of the children’s play area at Millom Park, a new accessible cycling, running and walking track, and the potential purchase of a prominent dilapidated building.