Lethal broken bottles and jagged cans were plucked from depths of between two and three metres, where they posed serious risks to lake users and wildlife. Landlubber litter pickers encountered equally dismal displays of thoughtless actions.

"Litter is horrible full-stop, but when it's capable of causing real harm it's particularly exasperating," according to Lake District National Park Authority area ranger Steve Tatlock.

"We are indebted to diving groups from Kendal and Skelmersdale, along with volunteers and groups from Cartmel Priory School and the John Muir Award Scheme who willingly gave their time to deal with mindless actions by a thoughtless and destructive minority."

"We've been running Winderclean for a decade and it's always the same sort of waste, with the occasional surprising finds like the pepper pot and lighthouse model our helpers found at the weekend."

Around 50 gave up a morning to combat a problem which continues to threaten safety and spoil some of the country's loveliest landscape.

Steve explained: "Windermere is home to a variety of wildlife, including a growing otter population, which had been absent for years.

If we didn't clean up the mess, conditions on the lake shore would slowly deteriorate. I don't think the problem is getting any worse, but it's not getting any better either, despite continuous campaigns and pleas to get people to use bins, take their litter home and recycle what they can.

"It would be great to get to the stage where we don't have to organise Winderclean every year but, sadly, there's no sign of that happening in the foreseeable future."

One of the worst affected areas was a kilometre stretch north of Low Wood, which produced 22 sacks of rubbish. Steve explained this was a natural collecting area because of wind patterns.

"As we approach another busy season on and around the lake, my plea would be 'take your litter home or put it in a bin and help keep this magical place special'."