CHAOS reigned in Kentmere Valley on the busiest Bank Holiday weekend of the year, according to one farmer.

The valley has been bisected by the boundary of the new biosecurity area announced on Friday, August 24.

To the west of the new boundary, footpaths are officially open, but to the east and at the northern end of the valley they are closed.

Sheila Black was one of the Kentmere farmers who campaigned against the August re-opening of footpaths.

She explained that her farm and others in the valley now had land on both sides of the boundary and faced complicated rules governing movements of animals and vehicles.

To make matters worse, the valley was teeming with visitors at the weekend, heading off onto footpaths which had not been marked as closed in time for the weekend.

Bob Cartwright, head of park management for the Lake District National Park Authority, said: "We literally did not know it was even in the wind until Thursday.

The new signs only arrived on Friday and staff were despatched to put them up on Friday afternoon.

Information about what is open to the public is available at tourist information centres and in new leaflets due out on September 8, and on the LDNPA website at www.lake-district.gov.uk and the county council website at www.cumbria.gov.uk