THE rain clouds looming over the region in the past few days had a silver lining for a tourist attraction.

Meet the Middletons, which opened in Middleton-in-Teesdale in May, has seen visitor numbers soar because of the weather.

When it opened, one of the aims of the £500,000 visitor centre was to provide a wet-weather alternative attraction in the upper dale.

The visitor centre tells the story of the village through the eyes of the Middletons, a fictitious family living in the village in the mid-19th Century.

Grace Wallace, general manager of the centre, said: "It's been going really well since we opened and we've had lots of people in from all over the place and received some very favourable and positive comments."

The centre will soon be opening an exhibition about Edward Gargate, a Middleton resident who was injured in the mines and became a poet and artist. His family have lent pieces of work for the exhibition.

* The highest kite festival in England will be held at High Force, near Middleton-in-Teesdale, on Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 5pm. Admission is free, although there will be charges for car parking.