New Forest rules broken by 700 people but no fines issued

Forestry England said more that 700 people were "engaged with" over their behaviour

No fines were issued during the first summer of new rules against petting ponies or starting barbecues in the New Forest, Forestry England has said.

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) covering much of the national park were introduced in July.

Anyone in breach can be handed a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £100 or fined up to £1,000 if the case goes to court.

However, Forestry England said more that 700 people were "engaged with" over their behaviour.

New Forest District Council introduced PSPOs after calls for measures to curb anti-social and environmentally damaging behaviour among visitors and residents.

Lighting of barbecues and campfires was banned in a bid to reduce the risk of wildfires in the environmentally sensitive national park.

The feeding and petting of livestock, such as the free-roaming New Forest ponies, is seen as harmful as they are drawn to dangerous roadsides, get used to being fed by humans and become prone to biting and kicking.

Forestry England's Charlotte Belcher said people "moved away" when warned about the dangers of petting animals

Staff from Forestry England, the New Forest National Park Authority and the Verderers of the New Forest have all been able to issue fines if needed.

During the first three months of the new rules, Forestry England said teams intervened in 152 incidents involving more than 700 people.

About a fifth of the incidents - 32, involved people lighting barbecues or starting fires. In one case a group had brought a portable pizza oven to the forest.

In more than 120 cases, people who broke the rules were interacting with livestock.

Campaigners previously called for measures to curb environmentally-damaging behaviour

Charlotte Belcher, community engagement manager for Forestry England, said the first few months of the measures had been "about education".

"The PSPOs are a really useful measure - it gives the option of enforcement, if required, and members of the public understand there is a consequence," she said.

"The majority of the incidents involved people feeding or petting ponies, or just getting too close and when we explained the danger, they moved away."

The orders remain in place for three years, with the option to be extended.

BBQs have been banned in the national park because of the danger of wildfires