NEW statistics show that more people than ever are turning to the foodbank for support in the Lake District.

Figures released from the Trussell Trust show that between April 2015 and March 2016, Windermere and District Foodbank gave out 241 three-day emergency food supplies to people, with 78 of these given to children.

Last year, 210 three-day emergency food supplies were distributed, with 74 of those being given to children.

Magda Khan, Project Manager for the foodbank, believes that the increase is down to the number of transient people passing through the area.

"Recently there's been more people coming through to find work in the Lake District area," she said. "We're dealing with people on the move who are homeless or going to live with friends."

Due to the seasonal nature of work in the tourist industry, Magda has found that many people will put in as many hours as they can during the summer months but then struggle to make ends meet in the off-season.

Magda also notes that for those seeking work without a fixed address, it can be impossible to access benefits and that zero-hour contracts and an ineffective minimum wage affects even those who have managed to secure work.

"A lot of people around here get by on the minimum wage," she said. "And businesses wonder why they have a high turnover of staff."

Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Tim Farron, has said that the figures are 'extremely concerning'.

"‘Breadline Britain’ is an everyday reality for far too many vulnerable people, and the government’s response to this is hopelessly complacent," he said.

"Beautiful rural areas like ours are often overlooked when politicians in Westminster talk of the need to tackle poverty, yet the stark reality exposed by these figures is that rural deprivation is a real problem."

However, despite Magda's concerns, Conservative councillor for Windermere Bowness South, David Williams, said that he is not aware of a problem in the area.

"I do not think there are many 'transient workers' coming here and not being able to find work off season," he said.

Cllr Williams has said that the workers he knows are working 'all the time' in hotels and restaurants and he is not familiar with the work that the foodbank does.

The Windermere and District figures reflect the Trussell Trust's national statistics, which show that foodbank usage has risen two per cent on last year.