A GROUP of Japanese tourists will visit Malton next month after reading about the town’s Dickens connection and mohair shop.

TV presenter Selina Scott, who owns Selina Scott’s Socks, in The Shambles, said the visit had been arranged after a Japanese magazine published a feature on Malton.

“The fame of my socks spread to Japan – they love mohair – and so they decided to track me down having read about my Malton shop,” she said.

“They arrived with a photographer on a wet and windy day and went wild about the town, especially when I told them about the Charles Dickens connection, taking photographs of all the unusual shops, the Charles Smithson museum and everything to do with A Christmas Carol.”

Selina said the feature appeared in Mr Partner Magazine with top billing.

“So impressed were they with my shop and the town that the popular Japanese writer Keiko Igato is bringing a tour group of about 30, especially to Malton on June 6,” she said.

Charles Dickens was a regular visitor to Malton where his best friend, Charles Smithson, lived.

When Smithson died aged 39, Dickens attended his funeral in the town and dedicated an early edition of A Christmas Carol to Mrs Smithson.

It is said that Dickens was also inspired to base Scrooge’s Counting House on Smithson’s office in Chancery Lane, in Malton.

Two years ago, Selina helped the charity Dickens Gift to Yorkshire buy a rare edition of A Christmas Carol at an auction in New York to help forge the town’s links with the author.

Selina said: “Japan has recently become an exciting market for me and my mohair socks.

“I can’t keep up with demand. I am looking forward to meeting these Japanese visitors in Malton and am sure the townspeople will extend a very warm welcome.”