A POPULAR television personality and barrister visited Windermere to learn more about his grandfather who survived the Holocaust.

Rob Rinder, better known for his role on ITV as Judge Rinder, dropped in on the Lake District Holocaust Project at Windermere Library.

Housed at the library is a permanent exhibition outlining the connection that exists between the Holocaust and the Lake District.

On Twitter, Mr Rinder said: "More than 300 refugee children, my grandfather amongst them, arrived in Windermere in 1945 to their very own ‘paradise’ from the hell of the Holocaust.

"This is what our country is at its very best."

Trevor Avery, director of the Lake District Holocaust Project, said: "They had ostensibly lost everything.

"They came here without anything.

"You have instances where one or two of the local families were also surrogate parents to them."

The children lived at the Calgarth Estate, near Windermere, on a housing scheme built for aircraft factory workers.

As a relative of one of the children, Mr Rinder was able to look through documents not on public display to learn about the experiences of his grandfather Morris Malenicky.

The visit comes ahead of a special event being held next month to mark the 75th anniversary of the children's landing at Crosby-on-Eden airport (now Carlisle Lake District Airport).

On August 14, a series of live events will be streamed from the airport from 2pm onwards.

Proceedings will include a reading of the report from the immigration officer who was waiting on the tarmac to greet the children in 1945.

Author Tom Palmer, who is releasing a children's book about the story of the 'Windermere Children', will also be present to read an extract from 'After the War', which is to be released on August 6.

"I would not have dared research, plan, write or edit this book without the guidance of the Lake District Holocaust Project," said Mr Palmer.

"I think, together, we've created something that tells the story of a remarkable group of children 75 years ago to the children of today, a story that needs telling."

Trevor Avery said: “We were determined to mark the moment of the children arriving 75 years ago and could not allow this iconic moment to be side-tracked by the current Covid situation.

“Carlisle Lake District Airport has been tremendously supportive in allowing access to views across the actual runway that the children touched down on in Stirling bombers so many years ago.

"It is going to be a hugely emotional moment.

“Some of the material and artefacts are truly incredible and we are proud and honoured to be able to share the items and stories virtually with so many of the families and people in the UK and overseas.”

The Lake District Holocaust Project remains closed to the public. For more information, visit ldhp.org.uk.