THE LAKE District is expecting a profitable Easter Bank Holiday as the area basks in one of its driest starts to spring for decades.

Tourists attracted by the unexpected warm weather and a reluctance to holiday abroad during the Gulf War have provided a boost to the tourism sector.

Warm and dry conditions have been forecast for today (Friday) and tomorrow, with temperatures expected to creep into the low 20sC, although turning cloudier and cooler by Monday.

Ian Stephens, of Cumbria Tourist Board, said: "Tourism in Cumbria has got off to a very good start this season. Numbers are looking strong for Easter and, with the weather so fantastic, people have no need to go abroad."

With only six wet days in the last 32 and only 17 in the last 60, the unseasonably dry March weather has continued into April, said weather monitors at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at Grange.

It was the warmest average temperature in March since records began in 1980 with 11.6C, and the hottest day was on March 17, when the thermometer reached 16.9C.

Environmental chemist Dave Wilson, said rainfall was down 25 per cent across the first three months of the year for the first time since 1959. There has only been 2.9mm of rainfall in the last two weeks.

"At this time of year, we are usually expecting March winds or April showers and we have not really had either," said Mr Wilson. "We have had a couple of spells of much longer, drier weather and we have been able to enjoy it for once!"

Andy Yeatman, of the Meterological Office, said there had been an average of 5.41 hours of sunshine a day in March, the sunniest since records began in 1961.

Of the Bank Holiday, he said: "Cumbria and South West Scotland are expected to fare better than many other places in the country."

Temperatures have climbed because of high pressure from the Atlantic and warm south easterly winds from central Europe.

Helen Masterton, of United Utilities, said despite a drop in water levels across the region's reservoirs, there was no imminent threat of a hosepipe ban. Water stocks in the key Lake District reservoirs of Thirlmere and Haweswater are at 90 per cent full rather than the usual 95 per cent for the time of year.

The recent dry spell has also prompted a spate of grass fires across the area. Kendal fire-fighters have attended a handful of such incidents while, at the weekend, crews from Kirkby Lonsdale and Sedbergh attended one at Barbon.

There have been two dramatic examples so far. One came at Angler's Crag, Ennerdale, at the weekend when more than 40 acres of fellside heather and woodland set ablaze. The second was on Wednesday at 10.50pm when grass and gorse ignited at Barrowside, Newlands, Keswick.

Cumbria Fire Service Divisional Commander Paul Hancock, said: "The ground at the moment is really tinder dry and the slightest spark, cigarette or match or anything like that will smoulder away for a period of time until it catches fire."

April 17, 2003 10:31