Campers leave trail of destruction at lakeside

The clean-up operation took two days to complete, the National Trust said

Conservation chiefs say they will contact police after campers left a trail of destruction in the Lake District.

The National Trust was left with a two-day clean-up bill estimated to be in the region of £1,000 after a group discarded camping equipment, mattresses and clothing on the shores of Buttermere.

An axe was also found having been used to chop nearby trees and several fires had burned patches of ground.

The organisation said it would pass a number of online posts and videos believed to involve the suspects to Cumbria Police.

Potential offences include criminal damage and fly-tipping, as well as heritage crime as the Lake District is a designated Unesco World Heritage Site.

The trust added such behaviour had become "far too common in recent years".

'Ruin the experience'

Neil Winder, from the trust, said: "Rangers were taken away from their conservation work to clean up the mess and the skip rental and time cost the National Trust close to £1,000.

"It is a shame that a minority of people choose to behave this way, ruining the experience for locals and other visitors.

"Such criminal damage and littering negatively impacts the landscape and the local community who, along with our rangers, are left to clean up."

The damage was spotted by a park ranger on 2 July.

The trust is urging people to use established camp sites rather than take part in what is known as fly-camping, which is illegal.

It is also reminding visitors to follow the Countryside Code, not to light fires or barbecues and to "leave no trace" by clearing up after themselves.