A HOLIDAY park owner said he feels besieged by visitors to the area due to poor parking and careless behaviour.

Mathew Kiziuk, of Crake Valley Holiday Park near Torver on the west side of Coniston Water, said police needed to be given more powers to effectively deal with issues caused by the closure of the road on the east side of the lake.

The C5018 was shut last month after visitors to the Lake District dumped their cars on the road, making it impossible for emergency services to pass.

There was also multiple reports of anti-social behaviour and littering following an influx of tourists.

The 42-year-old said: “All the people who parked on that side have just moved over to the other side.

“We have a driveway where cars are being dumped and they are even parking on the land of scientific interest.

“The other day when I was with my seven-year-old we saw someone squatting and having a dump. How am I supposed to explain that to my son?

“It is dangerous coming out of our driveway as you have to edge out between cars onto a 60 miles per hour road.

“These people coming over here are those aged between 20 and 30 mainly and they have no respect for anything. As soon as the sun comes out we are concerned.

“The last few weeks has been a nightmare.

“We open our business again soon and this just poses such a potential for an accident."

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “The council is not aware of any issue in regard to traffic or parking on the west of Coniston Water. We have met with the police and Lake District Nation Park authorities on the issue around Coniston and will continue to monitor the situation.”a