Dartmoor area 'recovering' after waste and fires camp ban

Park authorities found 70 tents an 50 fire pits on one night in July

A part of Dartmoor where camping was banned for a month has started to recover, according to local rangers.

Camping in the Bellever area of the Devon moorland was banned in August after large numbers of people used it as an informal campsite, lit fires and left rubbish behind.

The Dartmoor National Park Authority said at the time the ban was to protect public health, nature and wildlife.

It said the area was getting back to how "it always was".

'Unsociable behaviour'

On one night in July, 70 tents were recorded at Bellever - also known as Riddon Ridge - with 50 fire pits counted along a 500m (1,640ft) stretch of riverbank, a ranger said.

Rubbish found at the site included disposable barbeques, plastic waste and used toilet paper.

Ranger team manager Simon Lee said at the time he and his colleagues had "not experienced" such "unsociable behaviour" like it before and it took up "lots of our time" to deal with.

The park said the rubbish was a threat to habitats and animals

To assist rangers with enforcement of the ban, national park marshals were employed using funding provided by the Devon and Cornwall police commissioner.

Park director of conservation and communities Alison Kohler said: "Wildlife's coming back and the fire pits are starting to recover.

"People are going there to enjoy a picnic, children can run around without having to worry about whether they're going to come across soiled toilet tissue.

"It's just the place that it always was."