How a TV show has drawn Australians and Americans to a seaside town

How a TV show has drawn Australians and Americans to a seaside townImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tourists have been drawn to Donaghadee due to Hope StreetByKevin SharkeyBBC News NIPublished1 hour agoWhat happens to a pretty seaside town when film crews descend upon it?People in "Port Devine" - with its multi-coloured houses, a lighthouse and spectacular views over Scotland on a clear day - have been experiencing the effects for five years now.Its real name is Donaghadee and while its coastal charm has been long appreciated by locals and day-trippers alike, its alter ego has captured the hearts of many more as home to the popular BBC police drama Hope Street.Fans have flocked to the County Down town since filming first started in 2021.Image caption, Kathryn Strain (left) and Bridie McElhill think the series has been good for their townKathryn Strain, who is a member of the Chunky Dunkers sea swimming group in Donaghadee, says it's common to see tourists from cruise ships visiting Belfast making trips to the town."You can hear them saying, 'oh, that's where the police station was, and oh, this is so and so's house'," so it has been great, it has been good for the town, definitely," she told BBC News NI.Some of the Hope Street cast and crew have also braved the cold of Irish Sea and enjoyed - or maybe not - a dip.Like many locals, Kathryn can be spotted in Hope Street episodes as an extra."I think my most famous [part] was, and as my husband says I've got the face for a funeral, I was in it at a funeral," she jokes.Her friend, Bridie McElhill, who also swims with the Chunky Dunkers, says the show has helped put Donaghadee "on the map"."People come to Donaghadee now to see the town and see all the locations where the filming has taken place."I do think it has brought people into the town, and that's great for the town."Image source, BBC/Long Story TVImage caption, F...