Guardians of the shrine to English literature's most famous literary sisters are hoping a new television serial will boost visitor numbers.

Visitors through the famous front door of the Bronte Parsonage Museum at Haworth - home to Charlotte, Emily and Anne in the early 1800s - have been down on last year.

But the launch this weekend on a BBC version of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre could see a surge of interest as the tourist season runs to a close.

Alan Bentley, museum manager, said: "We are not doing as well as last year and we are hoping this will bring more people in. It is difficult to say why the numbers aren't as good - it could be the weather or the World Cup - a number of factors.

"But we are always pleased when the profile of the Brontes is risen by television or other media."

He said there had been a steady rise in visitor numbers since the foot and mouth epidemic of five years ago, and last year they reached a high of 83,000.

The new four-part serial, which stars Ilkley actress Georgie Henley as the young Jane, starts on Sunday at 9pm. Leading roles are also taken by Toby Stephens as Rochester, Ruth Wilson as Jane, Pam Ferris as Grace Poole, and Tara Fitzgerald as Mrs Reed.

Mr Bentley said: "It is always interesting to see another interpretation of the novel and from what I have seen and heard, this looks very positive. It is made by the same people who produced Dickens' Bleak House and that was very good."

Museum librarian Ann Dinsdale says the latest version comes in a long line of adaptations of the novel.

More than 20 big screen movies have been made and many more television productions world wide.

Within a year of the novel being published in 1847 - Charlotte received £500 for the work - it had been adapted for the stage in London.

"The first silent movie was made by an Italian team in 1909," said Mrs Dinsdale.

"Jane Eyre is one of the most popular of the Bronte novels to be adapted for the stage and screen - there have been countless versions in many languages."

One of the most famous adaptations was made in 1944 and starred Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine.

The last BBC serial was in 1983 and starred Timothy Dalton as Rochester, who later went on to play James Bond.

The novel tells how orphaned and neglected Jane becomes a governess and, although plain, wins the heart of her boss Rochester, who attempts to hide her from his dark secret - his wife locked in the attic.

l The BBC is also working on a production of Jean Rhys' novel, Wide Sargasso Sea, which charts the life of Mrs Rochester in the West Indies before her marriage to Mr Rochester and "insanity."

e-mail: clive.white@bradford.newsquest.co.uk