Tomlinson walkers sign up again

The festival, organised by Jane’s family in the Yorkshire Dales, has proved a huge success in its first year bringing more than 2,200 walkers from across the country into Settle over the weekend and making it the biggest new event in the national park in years.

The Jane Tomlinson Appeal has already announced that due to this year’s success, it will be holding the event again next year on August 19.

And despite tickets only going on sale yesterday, walkers were still rushing to sign up.

Siobhan Curtis, head of marketing at the appeal, said: “We are so pleased after the success of the inaugural event to be able to launch the 2012 event and I can’t believe the level of response at this stage. We are sure that the event will sell out and would urge people to get their entries in early.”

The festival has been hailed as a major boost to Settle and its surrounding area’s tourist economy and national park chiefs are now looking at holding it in other parts of the Dales.