THERE are good reasons why authorities in the Lake District decided to impose a 10mph speed limit on Windermere.

Speedboats, water skiers and users of jetskiis were disrupting the peace and tranquillity of the national park, posing a threat to wildlife and causing safety problems.

Wardens now patrol England's biggest lake with video cameras to catch offenders.

Now we hear that conservationists are concerned that boat and watersports enthusiasts have moved to the River Ribble where traffic has risen by 30 per cent following the Windermere ban.

The concern is understandable.

If wash from fast boats and water skiers was a problem such a large stretch of water as Windermere the damage likely to be caused to banks and wildlife in the confined space of the River Ribble is not difficult to imagine.

Also big efforts have been made in recent years to encourage salmon in what is regarded as the fifth most important river for the endangered fish in England and Wales.

Wildlife here and on the Ribble marshes must be protected because once destroyed it is likely to be gone forever.

Those who want to enjoy water sports should find or develop places where they can do so without causing irrepairable damage to our natural heritage.