Local MP wants Great North Swim televised on the BBC

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has today written to the Director General of the BBC asking them to televise this year's Great North Swim event live.

The BBC is currently planning to show highlights of the event as part of a wider sports package, but Tim has called for the main race to be shown live. He is also calling for a separate highlights show to be televised each night on the BBC. This would give it equal treatment with other sports such as snooker.

This year's race is being held onLake Windermerefrom the 22-24 June. Thousands of people are expected to take part as the 2012 event attempts to build on the success of last year's race, where 10,000 people took part. Spaces for the race filled within six weeks after entries were opened.

Many of the competitors will be taking part for fun or to raise thousands of pounds for charity. There will also be an elite race, where some of the world's top swimmers will go head-to-head.

Tim said: "The Great North swim is a fantastic event and is amongst the highlights of the Cumbrian sporting calendar. I hope the BBC agree to broadcast the event live this year because if they do it will make 2013's swim an even bigger event."

"The event currently gives a massive boost to our local economy, with many thousands of people coming up for the weekend to stay at our great hotels and B&B's and eat at our fantastic restaurants. Just imagine what it could do for local businesses if we could get the swim live on the BBC!"