Lake District caravan site facing £500k storm damage bill

Strong winds brought down trees onto the children's play park at the site

A Lake District caravan park is facing a bill of £500,000 for the clean-up after Storm Arwen.

Thousand of trees, communication and power lines came down in high winds in Cumbria and other parts of northern England and Scotland in November.

About 500 trees - all about 150 years old - fell at Skelwith Fold Caravan Park in Ambleside.

Owner Henry Wild said the bill would not be completely covered by his insurance company.

"Very little is covered by insurance - if a tree falls and hits property, then that is covered and the insurance company will pick it up," he said.

"But if it's literally trees falling down in open spaces, that's generally not covered and that's the case with us."

Specialist equipment was used on site to make the grounds safe after trees suffered a battering by Storm Arwen

He added: "Every time you think you've pulled out two or three fallen trees, you end up with 10 or 15 - it just keeps going.

"A lot of the trees that have been blown down are all intertwined together."

Contractors were brought in to remove trees and make the area safe ahead of the caravan park reopening.

A number of static caravans and both children's playgrounds were also damaged.

Wood from the fallen trees will be reused as fuel, wood chip and biomass pellets

Officials at the site are also said to be considering what to replant, ensuring any woodland is "appropriate for the next 150 years".

Mr Wild said his priority would be making any planting "more robust".

Wood from fallen trees has been collected and will be used elsewhere, for firewood or chipwood, while some will be turned into pellets and used for biomass.