A PAMPHLET put out by water-sport enthusiasts to promote their cause has further fanned the flames between themselves and the Lake District National Park Authority.

According to the LDNPA, the four-page flyer put out by Windermere Action Force is deliberately designed to look like a national park authority publication and has caused confusion among members of the public.

WAF's Lake District National Park Newsletter claims the 10mph limit is "seriously flawed" and encourages water sport enthusiasts to use "loop holes" in existing by-laws which allow inflatables, ringos, banana boats, paragliding and wake surfing on Coniston Water, Ullswater and Derwent Water.

Corporate communications director for LDNPA Emma Dewhurst said: "Local people have been contacting us expressing their anger and frustration with this latest stunt. While most people will surely not be fooled by WAF's attempt to copy our style of publication, we have asked our legal experts to find out if any copyright offences have been committed."

She added that the conviction of Tony Kemp - chairman and founder of WAF - for speeding on Coniston Water last summer had cost him £750 and proved the evidence the authority used to enforce the 10mph by-law was robust.

Oxen Park resident Frank Whitburn, who was one of 40,000 to receive the inflammatory flyer, said he was outraged.

"This pamphlet encourages people to break the law," he said. "At first I was amazed that the LDNPA had put out a leaflet like this but I later realised it was not from them."

Mr Kemp, chairman of WAF, who claimed it was a "complete coincidence" the leaflet looked like an LDNPA publication, said the flyer was intended to let enthusiasts know what their options were.

"We wanted to communicate with supporters and other sports enthusiasts and let them know the fun sports they can do despite the LDNPA's anti-tourism agenda," he said.

"I have a democratic right to write and inform people what is going on in the Lake District. There is no way we were purporting to be the LDNPA."

In the newsletter the group, which is campaigning for a 30mph limit on Windermere, also claims the 10mph limit on powered craft is "discriminatory", pointing out that LDNPA chairman Michael Bentley can achieve speeds of up to 25mph on his yacht.

l Defiant water skiers are to fulfil their threat of taking to the Lake District's four major lakes at the weekend to break "discriminatory" speed limits, says Mr Kemp.

The Gazette reported last month how disgruntled water skiers were planning to stretch the resources of LDNPA park rangers by working in packs on Coniston Water, Ullswater, Derwent Water and Windermere to escape prosecution for breaking the speed limits.