Derwentwater: Concerns raised about damage to islands' trees

The sound of chainsaws has been heard on the islands

Seeing damage to trees on Lake District islands has been "heartbreaking", a man who runs a local business has said.

Pete Price said harm to the trees on the Derwentwater islands, which also included graffiti being carved into them, was "wanton vandalism".

He blamed the availability of cheap kit and people treating areas as "wilderness" which he said meant they believed they could chop down trees.

He added that chainsaws had been heard in use on the islands.

Mr Price, from Keswick Canoe and Bushcraft, said the business worked "predominantly" on Derwentwater and staff had "seen a lot of damage being done to the islands".

Mr Price said the "damage and wanton vandalism to some of the trees has been just silly"

"Kit now is so cheap to buy, it's disposable almost and people are watching things on YouTube or whatever and they assume it's a wilderness," he said.

"It isn't a wilderness.

"You can't chop trees down. They have been here thousands of years.

"The damage and wanton vandalism to some of the trees has been just silly. It is really quite heartbreaking to see."

It is not the first time damage to trees on the islands has been highlighted.

In 2021, a clean-up was arranged after litter was found on them following an increase in visitors after lockdown measures were eased.

Trees were also found to have been damaged at the time.