National park hit by rubbish 'epidemic'

Derwentwater is among areas now regularly seeing littering and illegal camping

"Blatant" littering, illegal camping and poor parking across a national park has reached "epidemic" proportions, a conservation charity has warned.

The Friends of the Lake District said the impacts of tourism were no longer confined to hotspots around Windermere, with Ullswater, Derwentwater, Buttermere, Borrowdale and Ennerdale all now seeing issues.

It is calling for tougher action by local councils, police and the Lake District National Park Authority to show residents "they're no longer being ignored".

The organisations have recently attempted to crack down on the problem by carrying out patrols and issuing fines for breaches of public spaces protection orders (PSPOs).

Almost 800 people took part in an online survey organised by the group with 97% reporting they had encountered litter, 80% saying they had seen wildfires or barbecues and 77% witnessing illegal camping.

Just over one third - 34% - detailed experiencing an aggressive reaction when challenging those responsible.

Some respondents told how walks had been "ruined by human waste, litter and dog poo", while others said they picked up "used sanitary products and even condoms" and "constantly clear up after parties on the shoreline".

Other comments included: "I'm surprised how blatant some of it is. People are turning up knowing they're not going to get challenged."

Many discarded items are found along lakeshores and in nearby wooded areas

The results "revealed an epidemic of litter, fly-camping and thoughtless parking that blocks access and clogs roads across the national park," according to the Friends of the Lake District.

Its head of campaigns and engagement, Jeremy Smith, described recent months as having been "awful", explaining the survey findings "paint a very worrying picture".

"There is a visual impact from piles of rubbish around our lake shores and there are risks to the health of wildlife as well as people," he said.

"Most troubling of all, this situation is making local residents afraid to walk their favourite walks and unable to enjoy the countryside around where they live."

Welcoming steps announced by Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council and Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen, Mr Smith said the issues "cannot be allowed to fall off the agenda as the main summer season ends".

"If words don't translate into action, the sense of disconnect between residents and the authorities will intensify," he added.

Alongside "tactical patrolling" and tougher penalties, he is calling for a "reset in public understanding of what is acceptable".