A LORRY which became trapped on a small road into a South Lakes village for several hours has lifted the lid on wider issues within the community.

The large HGV became stuck at Elterwater on Monday because it could not pass a parked car which resulted in severe traffic delays. According to residents this has become a regular issue which has begun to ‘irritate’ them.

Helen Wilkinson, who lives near Elterwater Common, said the area had been turned into a ‘theme park’.

“It’s just become frustrating,” she said. “The common has now become an unofficial car park for visitors to use. It’s an issue which has got worse over the past couple of years.”

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Miss Wilkinson described the common as ‘overrun’ and ‘unmanageable’ as she would often see families ‘spilling out of their cars’, dogs leaping out of the boot, children playing on the road and sheep running between cars that were travelling at 60mph. “We’re incredibly lucky that there hasn’t been an accident yet and no one has been hurt,” she said. “Also, the litter everyone leaves behind is appalling. I don’t want to complain and deter people from coming to visit our lovely village but it’s unfair on residents who have to pick up the dog poo bags left on the side of the road.”

One of the directors of the Britannia Inn, Paul Fry, said parking had become a ‘nightmare’ in the village and it caused disruption for lorries and for public transport to get through.

“It’s a bottle neck at the end of the village because of the way visitors just abandon their cars,” he said. “It doesn’t happen that regularly but it is irritating.”

Lakes Parish Council clerk Michael Johnson said the council was aware of the issue and was looking to work with other partners and landowners in the area to find a solution that would alleviate the problem.