NEARLY 200 incidents took place on Windermere in the last year, according to new statistics.

Officials logged 199 incidents on the lake from rescues to boat owners running out of fuel. Of that total, 98 incidents involved yachts, 40  motor cruisers, 31 sports boats and 19 canoes or rowing boats – and a jet ski accounted for one incident.

Eight craft sank or were reported sinking, two people fell overboard, eight were capsized and two collisions were reported on England’s longest lake. There were also 92 reports of craft “adrift or ashore” and 12 breakdowns.

The figures were contained in the Windermere Lake Warden and Lake Ranger Service annual report, covering the period from October 2017 to September 2018.

The warden’s service is provided by South Lakeland District Council alongside the Lake District National Park Authority’s ranger service, both based at Ferry Nab, Bowness.

The report went before SLDC’s lake administration committee on Friday.

Frankie Flannigan, SLDC’s principal lake and parking services officer, said 2018 was “another busy year” and praised the partnership involved in the joint response to the Windermere ferry fire.

Both agencies worked alongside Windermere Lake Cruises to evacuate 80 people from the ferry when a blaze broke out.

The report said: “The lake rangers have worked hard this year to educate people on how to enjoy the lake safely.

“Whilst on patrol, rangers have interacted with 470 lake users, either giving out advice or enforcing the by-laws. They have also given out 176 warnings for navigation offences, which compares to 136 for the same period last year.”

The increase was attributed to 2018’s long hot summer and more people using the lake.

A total of 254 warnings were issued for registration offences, up 78 on the previous year, and 29 by-law incidents – people allegedly breaking the 10mph speed limit – were reported to the courts.

Fifteen had been successfully prosecuted and 14 were still being processed through the courts, the report said.

“One of the navigation offences successfully prosecuted through the courts used video evidence provided by a member of the public from their phone,” said the report.

Cllr Mark Wilson, Labour councillor for Ulverston East, said it was a “comprehensive report” and also praised the involvement of Ulverston Inshore Rescue in training in water rescues.

Cllr Andrew Butcher, Conservative councillor for the Furness Peninsula, praised the high quality of water in the lake, which had been graded “excellent” in several different places.