A GRASSINGTON couple have expressed their anger at the management of part of a local wood, which they say is being ruined by campers.

James Birdsall, who is secretary of Grassington Anglers Club, told the Herald campers trespassing in Grass Woods were a causing a "menace".

Both he and his wife Wendy, of Wood Lane, said the campers were spoiling the woods for other walkers and also creating an environmental hazard.

Mrs Birdsall said: "I go walking every day twice a day down to the wood and I often see people there who have come and camped even though they are trespassing.

"I take my dogs down there and always make sure I clean up after them. The campers though come and camp and leave human excrement, as well as their litter and food.

"It's just awful and I must admit, we're quite glad when it comes to this time of year when the camping season is drawing to a close."

She added: "It's a real shame as the woods are there for people to enjoy and people should take their rubbish away with them."

Mr Birdsall claimed the campers were also responsible for pulling down gates for firewood and demolishing walls.

"The small notice up saying no camping and the wooden gate it was on was demolished to be used as bonfire wood. The campers also don't think anything about chopping down the trees or knocking down the walls."

He added there were only problems with the lower wood, which is owned by The Woodland Trust, based in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

"The Woodland Trust should not be trusted with anything never mind a woodland!"

He added: "The trust's headquarters are miles away and there is only a small sign saying 'no camping please'.

"If they are going to make a rule, I think they should make sure they have got someone to enforce that rule as well."

Mr Birdsall added the upper part of the wood was owned by The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and there were no problems there.

"I don't want to stop people enjoying themselves, but at the end of the day there are just certain things that are not on."

He added that he believed the campers often poached the brown trout put in the river Wharfe running alongside the land, and were also an environmental hazard to the watercourse.

A spokesperson for The Woodland Trust said: "Camping has been a particular problem during the summer, and to ensure the site is kept clear, contractors have been clearing the whole woodland of litter on each Monday during June, July and August. This focused particularly on the areas near to the river.

"In an effort to further reduce the camping on site, The Woodland Trust has joined the North Yorkshire Police's Country Watch Scheme. It is a crime prevention scheme specifically designed to answer the needs of people living in, working in and visiting the rural areas by improving security and stimulating partnerships between the police and countryside users.

"We believe that through this scheme and closer liaison with both the police and other individuals and landowners in the Grassington area, we will be able to further reduce the levels of camping and the associated vandalism/theft and rowdy behaviour that has been a problem in the past."