Residents' Open Week, which encouraged local people to sample tourist attractions while supporting conservation projects, set a new record in South Lakeland.

The scheme, organised by South Lakeland District Council in partnership with the Lake District Tourism and Conservation Partnership, attracted 6,000 residents who used special passes to sample the many offers available. That marked a 50 per cent increase on 2003.

The project was supported by The Westmorland Gazette, which published a special supplement and helped distribute the passes to its readers. Passes were also available at tourist information centres, and selected post offices and newsagents, where voluntary donations to a total of £2,930 were received for the projects.

This year's donations brought the overall total of voluntary contributions to more than £15,000. Kirstie Royce, manager of the Lake District Tourism and Conservation Partnership, said all the money had been ploughed back into practical conservation projects such as helping to improve the Yewdale Bridleway, providing interpretation at Ash Landing Nature Reserve, near Sawrey, and helping to create an off-road footpath at Cleabarrow.

Funding this year will go to supporting a popular route around New Close Farm, at Oxen Park, where a new footpath link will be created to provide a circular walk back to Oxen Park village. It will incorporate improvements to drainage and surfacing along with new access gates, fingerposts and other suitable way-markings to help navigation.

The open week encourages local residents to use their passes to enjoy free admission and discounted hospitality at some of Lakeland's top attractions, hotels and retail outlets.

Dawn Hunter-Ellis, from SLDC's tourism department, said: "Residents are hugely important ambassadors for local tourism attractions, as a lot of information about what's available is by word-of-mouth. This scheme ensures that everyone benefits."

SLDC's assistant tourism officer Cherie Fox added: "We were pleased this year to be jointly sponsored by The Westmorland Gazette and K Village Outlet Centre. The Gazette enclosed a pass inside the paper along with a very informative publication, Tourism Matters. This undoubtedly helped to raise the awareness of the Open Week. We've never had so many people take part since the scheme began in 1993."