Face your fears on the shores of Windermere

Families wishing to experience the excitement and dread of having to complete an I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here style bushtucker trial, can do so by heading to the Aquarium of the Lakes, on the southern shore of Windermere, in Cumbria, from February 11-24.

There, the Aquarium will be giving them the opportunity to do a Burrell, scream like Leeming, or even utter an "Oh Man", Janice Dickinson style, as they participate in the Face Your Fears event, which will be laid on as an additional activity for half-term week.

Family members can challenge each other to reach into boxes filled with scary creatures, with all impersonations of less than courageous celebrities more than welcome!

Whether it's arachnophobia, batrachophobia or even lutraphobia (fear of spiders, frogs and otters respectively), there's also a chance for all the family to face them head on.

Expert handlers of the creatures at the Aquarium will help visitors get to grips with their phobias by getting up close to some of those living things that currently scare them rigid! They will explain how facing your fears is a way to overcome them, as well as passing on lots of useful information about the creatures living at the Aquarium.

This selection of creatures has changed enormously in the last few months, as the attraction has adopted a global perspective, to compare and contrast the wildlife of the Lake District with that found in lakes around the world. It is now home to exotic red-eyed tree frogs, a Cuban boa, blind cave fish, a stripy-kneed tarantula and weird looking fish such as Wolf fish, not to mention piranhas - which will NOT be handled!

The strange mudskipper creatures and birds of prey will also be arriving prior to half-term and there will be creepy-crawly craft activities and face-painting, to add to the fun and keep youngsters busy making a giant trash bag tarantula or creating scary-looking bugs?

All the family can have a go at the Aquarium's Bush Tucker Trail, when the bush guides come round with silver platters of choice morsels including, cheesy mealworms, curry-flavoured crickets and chocolate ants! More traditional food and hot and cold drinks are also available in the Quay Café.

Talks given by the knowledgeable events team will enable everyone to be clued up on the creatures, which could be highly advantageous. The Lakes Aquarium also has a Fishing for Clues competition going on until February 22, which could allow a family who solve Officer Otter's crime correctly, to win a family weekend in the Lake District staying at the White Water Hotel, on the banks of the River Lune.

With all of this available, not to mention the amazing underwater tunnel, complete with the attractions real divas - the diving ducks - plus the ever popular otters, gallons of water, hundreds of fish, it's a day out not to be missed.

Visitors can also extend their day out by opting to head off on a Windermere Lake Cruise, or the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Steam Railway, from right outside the door, once their visit to The Lakes Aquarium is complete.

More information is available at Aquariumofthelakes.co.uk, with family tickets and individual child and adult tickets available, as well as concessions. The aquarium is open every day of the week, opening at 9am and closing at 5pm (last admission 4pm).