A FATHER-of-four has claimed he was forced to quit his job of 20 years because of the crippling effects that Windermere's 10mph speed limit has had on business, reports Ellie Hargreaves.

Boat trader Chris Poole, who lives in Windermere, said he had no choice but to give bosses at Windermere Aquatic his notice after his commission-based wage plummeted by more than half.

Mr Poole, whose wife, Fiona, is unable to work because of a disability, said the introduction of the controversial restriction in March 2005 had such an effect on trade that he feared he would lose his home.

"Being on the shop front and speaking to all the businesses and visitors, I know that there are others in my position too."

An LDNPA spokesman said the authority "remained convinced" that the speed limit had had a positive effect on the way the lake was used and that, although it had always been aware of the restriction's potential impact on jobs, businesses had been given five years' notice to adjust the way they operated before the 10mph limit was introduced.

In January, protesters from the Keep Windermere Alive Association (KWAA) and blind water skier Gerald Price served a legal challenge on the LDNPA, calling into question the legality of the 10mph restriction, which they claimed was unreasonable and in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights.

Members of the LDNPA have agreed to consider allowing some exemptions - such as setting aside times or zones where watersports could still take place - at the next full authority meeting on March 21.

The authority recently said the fall in the number of registered power boats and the discovery of a loophole which enabled lake users to register their vessels with a cheaper scheme had left them £143,000 out of pocket.