Coronavirus: National Trust seeing 'record levels of beauty spot litter'

Dovedale has seen an increase in visitors - and rubbish - since lockdown ended

The National Trust has warned it is seeing record levels of litter in parts of the Peak District, as people flock to beauty spots.

The area has seen an increase in visitors since lockdown ended.

Rangers in Dovedale, on the Derbyshire-Staffordshire border, picked up 170 bags worth of rubbish in three days, including nappies, coffee cups and wet wipes.

The trust said people were showing a "disposable festival mentality".

Picnic food and cooking equipment have frequently been left, presenting a potential hazard to wildlife

Rob Rhodes, the trust's head of rangers, said: "Leaving debris and litter behind can cause issues for wildlife such as injuring animals and destroying habitats.

"No-one should have to clear up the mess that we are experiencing at some of our places."

Ben McCarthy, the trust's head of nature conservation, added fly-camping had also increased.

"We are seeing a disposable festival mentality which we've not experienced at our places before," he said.

Despite warnings some visitors are ignoring advice on responsible behaviour

Rachel Bennett, one of the trust's lead rangers, said it had become "typical" to find the remnants of picnics on her patrols.

She said "a lot more people" have been visiting Dovedale as lockdown was lifted, and urged tourists to be more responsible.

"This time of year we'd usually be doing things like managing our meadows, monitoring wildlife, making sure things are where they should be, and we're not doing that because we're having to deal with litter," she said.

"The other risk to the wildlife is that it potentially eats some of this litter, it ingests it and it dies - it's a real and absolute risk."

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