EARLY in the morning, just as day isdawning... the post office from which Postman Pat picked up all hispostbags was apparently at Beast Banks, Kendal, reports MirandaNorris.

The creator of the much-loved children's character, JohnCunliffe, who once lived in Kendal, dropped in on postmaster Mike Molloywith a film crew last Wednesday afternoon.

While filming at theshop he revealed that it was the inspiration for Mrs Goggins'spost-office.

"I knew John Cunliffe had lived on Greenside but notmuch more than that," said Mr Molloy. "But the previous owner of this postoffice was a lady and she was here for ten years."

Mr Cunliffe was ateacher at Kendal's Castle Park School when he wrote 13 storylines for aBBC children's series and came up with the winning idea of a countrypostman with a black and white cat. However, the stories' settings aremostly based on the Longsleddale Valley.

But on Thursday night, MrCunliffe could be seen, by those with Granada Television, strolling aroundhis old haunts in Kendal and pointing out Beast Bank post-office.

MrMolloy is now considering expanding his range of Postman Pat merchandisewhich at present consists of models and a few vans. "It would be very niceif we suddenly hit the tourist route," he said.

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