CONISTON Parish Council has thrown its full support behind efforts to keep the Record Attempts Week on Windermere after the 10mph speed limit comes into force in 2005.

At their latest meeting, parish councillors said they backed the Records Week Committee 100 per cent in its bid to ensure the annual event continued in its traditional arena.

They also agreed not to state the council's official position, before consultation, on proposals to bring the event to Coniston if an exemption to the speed ban on Windermere was not granted.

Instead, councillors are keen to seek the views of Coniston Water Association, which represents boating interests on the lake, and other interested parties before making a decision.

Records Week committee chairman Robin Brown told councillors he would be asking the Lake District National Park Authority to explain its refusal to grant an exemption, and said his committee still hoped to persuade the LDNPA to change its mind.

But, failing that, committee members had agreed to pursue discussions with Coniston Parish Council and local residents about eventually moving the event to Coniston.

The lake currently has provision for powerboat record attempts under a by-law which the Home Secretary insisted on including when he imposed a 10mph speed limit in 1978.

Council chairman Jonathan Hext said councillors were generally in favour of Coniston being used for Records Week but had chosen to sit on the fence until views had been sought from, among others, the Rawdon Smith Trust, which owns the bed of the lake, and The National Trust.

After the meeting, Mr Brown said: "I am pleased with the way the meeting went and satisfied with the response we got."

He added it seemed clear from the meeting and from previous discussions with Coniston residents that they would be "in favour of keeping it the event going on Coniston if that proves necessary."