A special 48-page commemorative supplement goes on sale today to mark the 200th anniversry of your local newspaper, The Westmorland Gazette.

The newspaper was first published on May 23, 2018, when George 111 was King and the Earl of Liverpool was Prime Minister.

To mark the occasion the newspaper has published a supplement, which includes a full history of The Westmorland Gazette.

The Romantic poet William Wordsworth played a major part in its founding during a political row in a notoriously contentious general election. The Grasmere poet also wrote many letters to the newspaper over the years, commenting on local issues. One of the first editors of the newspaper was another poet, Thomas de Quincey.

The supplement also highlights how the Gazette has covered major national and local stories over the years, including the two world wars, the death of Queen Victoria and more modern stories, such as the Grayrigg train derailment, the introduction of the Windermere 10mph limit and the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy.

The supplement focuses on famous local characters - everyone from Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome to comedian Stan Laurel and educationalist Charlotte Mason.

It includes an image of the very first front page from May 23, 1818; highlights numerous royal visits over the years; a special feature on fellwalker and artist Alfred Wainwright; and some of the most eye-catching photographs used over the years, including favourites from former chief photographers at the newspaper.

The history of advertising over the years is told and the supplement also takes readers behind the scenes to show how the Gazette is put together each week, both in-paper and online.

Editor Andrew Thomas said: "It has been fascinating for all staff to be involved with researching the history of the newspaper and comparing and contrasting the way things were done in the past with how they are done now.

"This supplement has been several years in the planning and should be a real keepsake. We really hope Gazette readers will enjoy reading about the history of their local paper, which is so intrinsically linked to the history of this part of the country."

The supplement is on sale today, costing £1.50, and is available in outlets across South Lakeland and the Lake District, as well as at the reception at the Gazette offices in Wainwright's Yard.