AN environmental campaign group has been accused of misleading people into thinking Grasmere could be a site for fracking - even though there are no licences for the activity in the Lake District National Park.

A leaflet published by Friends of the Earth featured a picture of Grasmere with the caption ‘Don’t let fracking destroy all of this?’ and asked people to donate to help it stop fracking.

However, drilling company Cuadrilla has complained to the Advertising Standards Authority and Fundraising Standards Board, saying that the leaflet is “scaremongering” and could mislead people into thinking the practice is being planned for the Lake District.

Fracking involves using a high pressure mixture of water, chemicals and sand to release natural gas under the ground.

Cuadrilla chief executive Francis Egan said: “It is irresponsible and shameful that a charity such as Friends of the Earth should use misleading and scaremongering statements to encourage members of the public to part with their hard earned money. The leaflet appears to be wilfully misleading.”

However, Donna Hume, Friends of the Earth senior energy campaigner, said the leaflet showed the type of landscapes that could be affected by fracking.

In February law changes allowed for companies to drill horizontally under national parks as long as the wells started outside.

“The public is right to be concerned about a controversial and risky technique that produces more dirty fossil fuels that cause climate change and could threaten our water,” she said.

“The leaflet includes a number of images, including one that is illustrative of the sorts of areas that could be threatened by fracking if government and industry gets its way - particularly after ministers backtracked on promises not to allow fracking in national parks.”