AN ACTRESS best known for her roles in hit British comedies has come out in opposition to plans for zip wires over a Lake District reservoir.

Caroline Quentin, star of Men Behaving Badly and Jonathan Creek, has said 'we should say no to zip wires' across Thirlmere.

The actress, who is also the president of the Campaign for National Parks said: “I’m concerned about the proposed zip wires in Thirlmere, my fear is that they will spoil the peace and tranquillity of this beautiful, important place. I am all for development that enhances our National Parks but my instinct is that we should say no to zip wires in Thirlmere.”

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Treetop Trek Ltd announced plans in July for a new activity hub, which includes eight zip lines and an 18km long family-friendly cycle way.

And last week the National Trust also released a statement that it was 'standing up for the Lake District'.

"We are concerned that this would risk setting a precedent for further damaging developments, which cumulatively, could result in significant harm to the special qualities of the National Park, many of which are found in the land that we own and manage, and care so deeply about," it said.

Although the Trust acknowledged the benefits of improved cycle infrastructure and employment opportunities, it was clear that it objected to the application.

The plans have proved to be controversial with opposition coming from filmmaker Terry Abraham, the British Mountaineering Council and the Open Spaces Society.

Kate Ashbrook, general secretary of the Open Spaces Society said: ‘These plans would make Thirlmere into Zipper-mere. The development would dominate this splendid landscape and destroy its peace.’

"It is evident that there is no overriding national need for this, and certainly there are alternative sites outside the national park. This is an unacceptable commercial exploitation of a wild, sensitive area."

However, there has also been support for the hub, including from managing director of Cumbria Tourism Gill Haigh and chairman for The Lake District Park Partnership Business Task Force Nick Lancaster.

And Mike Turner, managing director of Treetop Trek said that the proposal had garnered huge amounts of support from the business community and the majority of those who had responded to the consultation had been in favour of it.

"Locally this is a very well supported and well thought out scheme and it will have a fantastic impact on the local economy," he said.

He said that it had become an 'emotive' topic and reiterated that the scheme would have no environmental or visual impact.

Windermere-based Treetop Trek Ltd has anticipated that the proposed activity hub would create 53 local jobs and generate an extra £600,000 spent in the local economy every year.