Lake District islands reveal damaged trees and dumped litter

Volunteers paddled by canoe by reach the islands for the clean up

Litter pickers have been cleaning up at a series of islands in Derwentwater.

The Lake District has seen an issue with litter being left behind during the pandemic as the region has proved popular with visitors since lockdown measures eased.

Volunteers gave up their time saying they had seen a "deterioration with the environment" and wanted to help with a clean-up operation.

They paddled across to the islands by canoe armed with refuse sacks.

The Lake District has seen an issue with litter since lockdown ended

The islands are not easily accessible but they have not escaped the scourge of litter.

The problem inspired a Keswick canoe company to organise the tidy-up with volunteers visiting the islands to collect rubbish and assess damage caused by careless visitors.

Pete Price, from Keswick Canoe and Bushcraft, said: "We've found quite a lot of damage on the island, trees being chopped down and branches being snapped off.

"They're burning live trees, they're setting fire to things on the floor and they're leaving tents and rubbish on the islands, even human waste, and we can't sustain this rubbish, that's why we're all doing this."

Volunteer Jen Grange collected rubbish along with her two children

Among those giving up their free time to help was Jen Grange who signed up along with her two children.

She said: "We've found baked bean cans, a lot of wet wipes which unfortunately are not biodegradable, lots of plastic wrappers from food and lots of bottle tops."

It is hoped the coming colder months will discourage people from visiting the islands but those who do are urged to take their rubbish home with them.