Patrols bid to crack down on illegal camping

Discarded camping equipment is often found by lake shores, residents say

Patrols are to take place across the busiest areas of the Lake District in an effort to crack down on illegal camping and littering ahead of the bank holiday, a police boss says.

The area attracts millions of visitors each year.

However, tensions have become heightened in recent months with many social media posts by residents highlighting issues with dumped equipment, land damaged by camp fires and rubbish.

David Allen, police, fire and crime commissioner for Cumbria (PFCC), said the patrols were "vital to protect both our communities and the places we all value".

Allen also said he welcomed moves by Westmorland and Furness Council to extend public space protection orders (PSPOs) to cover "hotspot areas" such as Windermere West Shore, Coniston Water East Shore and Blea Tarn.

Anyone who admits breaching an order can be issued with a £100 fine, while court action can see the penalty rise to £1,000.

'Persistent' issues

However, in a letter to the authority's leader, Jonathan Brook, the PFCC warned it was a "missed opportunity" to not include Ullswater in a consultation it is running, describing the area as one of the most popular sites within the Lake District.

Ullswater is the second-largest lake in England

Writing that extending the PSPOs would "help both deter unacceptable behaviour and protect the environment and communities we serve", Allen said he was "surprised to see Ullswater does not feature in the proposed areas for inclusion" in a consultation currently being staged by the council.

He added: "Like other key sites, [Ullswater] has experienced persistent and well-documented issues with fly camping, littering and fires.

"It is my clear view that not incorporating Ullswater into the current PSPO review is a missed opportunity to strengthen our joint enforcement capabilities in a location where residents, landowners and emergency services have consistently raised concerns."

The council said Brook was in the process of responding and that it would make his comments available when it was able to do so.

Its PSPO consultation runs until 9 September.

The authority previously said the proposals were "part of a wider, coordinated response to tackle growing concerns about anti-social behaviour, fly-camping, littering and environmental harm in some of our most-visited areas".