WILD campers who left a mess estimated to cost almost £1,000 to clean up in the Lake District will not face prosecution.

The National Trust reported that rangers spent two days in July clearing rubbish, left by fly campers at Buttermere, including six firepits filled with burned debris.

The mess also included tents, sleeping bags, chairs, mattresses, clothing, and an axe that had been used to chop trees at the popular lakeshore. 

Online video footage, believed to have identified those responsible, was shared with Cumbria Police.

However police said that "all available lines of enquiry have been exhausted".

A spokesperson from Cumbria Police said: "All available lines of enquiry have been exhausted and the investigation is complete. 

"The evidence collated was reviewed and it did not meet the threshold for prosecution. Therefore, this case was closed with no further action.”

At the time, the National Trust reported that the cost of the clean-up, including the time and rental of a skip, amounted to almost four figures.  

The National Trust emphasised that this was a resource that could have been better spent on conservation work.

Speaking previously, Neil Winder, countryside manager for the National Trust, said: "This is a scene that has become far too common in recent years with our team coming together with local partners to find solutions to this and other instances of poor behaviour in the outdoors."

The Trust has said that recent trends on social media have led to a surge in wild camping throughout the area, but they encourage people to always abide by the countryside code.

Neil said: "This cannot be tolerated.

"We would like to remind people that 'fly camping' is strictly forbidden anywhere outside of dedicated campsites in the Lake District despite the recent trend in social media presenting what they see as ideal 'wild camping' sites."

The National Trust offers a guide on their website explaining how to wild camp legally.