URGENT repairs are set to be undertaken on railings separating a Windermere play area from a stream which becomes very dangerous in bad weather.

The railings stand alongside Scout Beck at the top of Upper Oak Street where it reaches a small bridge which connects it to the entrance to the town’s popular Queen’s Park.

Nick Hesford, who has a property in the area, said he had noted the issue and alerted South Lakeland District Council, expressing his concerns for the safety of the many children who access the park via this route.

“The stream might seem small and gentle a lot of the time but during heavy rain it gets much deeper and the water backs up, so it can be very dangerous,” he said.

Mr Hesford said there were two gaps in the old style metal fencing where the slender vertical posts have been constantly tampered with and have eventually given way.

He said one area was reported two to three years ago and though council officials blocked the gap with plastic tape, that had now mostly been removed by vandals over time.

And he added that his concerns were heightened when the further gap in the fence appeared recently.

Mr Hesford again reported the issue to South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) and said he was told the matter was indeed urgent and would be given immediate attention.

However, he said as the Christmas holiday period began, the gaps were still apparent.

And he said he was concerned that as winter closed in and the bad weather was more likely to occur, the danger of a child falling into the swollen stream was a real one.

Cllr Andrew Jarvis, who represents the area on SLDC, agreed that the matter needed addressing immediately and said he would make every effort to ensure the issue was dealt with as soon as possible.

And a spokesperson for SLDC said: “We thank the gentleman for reporting this issue to us.

“We are establishing which organisation has responsibility for maintenance of this particular fencing to ensure a repair is carried out.’’