ALTHOUGH the Remain camp was branded as Project Fear in the great and divisive EU Brexit debate, there are early signs its supporters might not have been too far wide of the mark in their concerns.

Here in South Lakeland - the only part of Cumbria and one of the few areas of England to vote to stay - we are beginning to feel aftershocks from the seismic poll result.

The hugely successful Playdale Playgrounds of Haverthwaite is a stark case in point. Fourteen of its 29 distributors are in Europe and one Romanian contract - thought to be worth £700,000 - is already under threat because of an early release clause should Britain leave the EU.

South Lakes livestock farmers have also been left worrying about the future for their agricultural subsidies. While Brexiters have argued that EU basic payments could still be provided by a UK government, there is no certainty this will be the case. Indeed, the Treasury has never been a fan of subsidies and may advocate substantially reducing them when we eventually leave the EU.

A question mark also hangs over South Lakes in the aftermath of the Storm Desmond floods last December. According to Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron, the Government has yet to apply for money from the EU solidarity fund, which could provide up to £40m for the ongoing flood recovery programme.

And there's the question of whether certain foods like Cumberland sausage and Wensleydale cheese could lose their protected status in Europe.

But it's not all about economics and business. Migrant workers from the EU - particularly from Poland - contribute a great deal to Cumbria, especially the vital tourism sector. It is extremely concerning, therefore, to hear stories that some of these have been told to 'go home'.

South Lakeland District Council leader Giles Archibald is right to condemn such xenophobic behaviour.

The incomers are vital to the county's economy, with many working in the NHS or the care home sector. They should never be made to feel unwelcome. It is not the Cumbrian way.