A HOTSPOT of nightmare parking is causing mayhem for one village, as visitors flock to the popular beauty spot – and ignore the need to park safely.

The home of England’s highest mountain has been flooded with visitors throughout this month’s sunny spell, with Wasdale being packed with those looking to bag a few Wainwrights and enjoy the stunning scenery.

But their enjoyment comes at a cost to others, as emergency services, including Mountain Rescue, are struggling to reach those in danger.

“It’s a very serious issue for a couple of reasons, with the obstruction of the road being the biggest one,” said county councillor Paul Turner.

“People park in such a way that Mountain Rescue can’t get through – ambulances, fire engines, none of them could get through if there was an emergency.

“Local people tend to be quite good, and realise the problems of parking in such a way, but it seems to be that people coming from outside the area who don’t know where they can and can’t park.”

And with the issue becoming more worrying by the day, and the pleasant weather set to continue, an electronic sign – or VMS – warning people against irresponsible parking has been put in place next to Wastwater, with the hope of encouraging drivers to think about their actions.

The VMS, located at the Santon Bridge-Gosforth junction, is a temporary measure, and the concerned councillor stressed that its effectiveness will be monitored – with other options on the table if people continue to park dangerously.

Coun Turner, who represents Wasdale, said: “The short-term solution to the problem is education, and warning people about what could happen, which is why the VMS has gone up.

“We do have other options if people don’t follow the advice, such as cares being towed, or enforcement officers ticketing people, but the county council doesn’t want to have to do that.

“These sorts of things will only happen as a last resort if the VMS doesn’t work, but sadly I don’t have much hope it will.”

He added: “It’s just about getting the message out there to park responsibly, and think about how your parking will affect others.

“It’s such a horrendous issue, and it can cause so many problems if people park badly.

“People just need to think, can an ambulance get through if I or someone else needed one? It’s that simple.”