ACTION is being taken to prevent off-road drivers churning up an environmentally important area of saltmarsh near Grange-over-Sands.

Motorcyclists and four-wheel drivers have been venturing beyond the traditional car park area at Humphrey Head and onto the flat expanses of coastal saltmarsh which they have been using as a racing track.

English Nature conservation officer Chris Lumb, who was alerted to the problem by concerned local farmers, said that the speeding drivers had caused considerable damage to the area, which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

"There were tracks all over the place," he said.

"Basically, they had created speed way tracks on the marsh and had been racing round and round cutting it up quite badly.

"From the information from local farmers, these people were sometimes there for quite long periods of time."

Humphrey Head, which is owned by Holker Estates, falls within the Morecambe Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Recently it has been designated as a Special Protection Area because of its internationally important bird life populations, and it is currently a candidate to receive special European protection as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Mr Lumb said: "It is a very important site, not only from a wildlife viewpoint, but this sort of activity was also spoiling the site for all those people who came along to enjoy the peace and quiet and see some of the wonderful views there."

A meeting was held on site with officials from Holker Estates and temporary signs have been installed asking people not to take vehicles onto the salt marsh.

Mr Lumb is also hoping to set up a meeting with parish councillors and other interested groups to try and come up with a longer-term sustainable solution to the problem.