Lake District charity hits out at litter pests

The Friends of the Lake District group said many people do not know there are no bins on the fells

A charity has warned there are no "litter fairies" in the Lake District and reminded visitors to take home their mess or risk harming the national park and its nature.

People expecting to find bins on open fells and a lack of knowledge about the impact of food waste are some of the reasons people leave litter strewn around, Friends of the Lake District said.

Research carried out by Keep Britain Tidy showed most people "don't want to litter" the national park, but do so when they are unprepared.

The charity is now launching a campaign to educate people visiting the Lakes and encourage them to behave responsibly, featuring a range of advice.

Friends of the Lake District's campaign reminds visitors there are no litter fairies

The charity's Kay Andrews said: "The lasting effects of leaving rubbish in the landscape aren't just visual, it can kill wildlife and livestock, damage our soils, leach into our water systems and cause health hazards for people too."

The group said people often wrongly believed they would find bins on open fells and litter pickers would operate around the park.

"The Lake District National Park covers 912 square miles of spectacular landscapes. It would be a massive feat for the rangers to litter pick such a large area, and impossible to get a bin lorry to the top of the fells," a spokesman said.

The charity added people often leave behind food waste such as apple cores and banana skins without realising they can take up to two years to decompose and can alter the acidity of the soil.

The charity said biodegradable poo bags should not be left on the ground

They are encouraging people to bring food in reusable containers and to either take their waste home or eat in the Lake District's pubs and cafes.

They added there are also big issues around people leaving dog poo bags lying around and said even biodegradable ones - which can take up to six months to degrade - should be disposed of in bins.

"No bag should be left on the ground - dog poo does not provide any benefit to the soil and when washed away it pollutes our waterways," the spokesman said.