FAR-right activists who gathered in the Lakes have been told they are 'not welcome' in Cumbria.

Members of branches of the right-wing group Patriotic Alternative visited the Lake District for a gathering.

Their visit has been condemned by a campaign group. 

The far-right group is led by Mark Collett, who appeared on a Channel 4 documentary entitled Young, Nazi and Proud and wrote a book in which he described Hitler's Nuremberg rallies as 'something that one would have been proud to be a part of'.

The group drew criticism from anti-racism campaigners in Cumbria when it held its annual conference at a hotel in Levens last year.

The letters 'PA NW' were also scrawled on the Cenotaph in Barrow Park next to what appeared to be a Swastika, although the group has denied any involvement.

The group shared images of a get-together in the Lake District.

Paul Jenkins, an organiser for Unite Against Fascism in Cumbria, said: "Patriotic Alternative are not welcome in Cumbria or anywhere else. Last year, PA supporters graffitied the initials of their group with a swastika on Barrow Cenotaph - a disgraceful act and an insult to the memory of people who died fighting fascism.

"This also shows the Nazi politics of PA.

"PA are led by Mark Collett - former Youth Leader of the BNP - who described himself as 'a Nazi sympathiser'.

"The people of Cumbria have a proud tradition of opposing these kind of organisations.

"Anti-racists are the majority."

Earlier this year the Furness accused members of the group of trying to spread 'poison' in Barrow by delivering leaflets opposed to Afghan refugees entering the country.

Leaflets posted through letterboxes in the Oxford Street area told householders to 'put British people first' and oppose 'Afghan migrants'.

Activists were also pictured bearing banners outside Barrow Town Hall that said 'Europe belongs to the European'.

Barrow's MP Simon Fell led criticism of the group's actions, saying people in the town were welcoming of refugees.

He said: "This 'protest' stands in stark difference to the many hundreds of emails and messages I received from people across Barrow and Furness following the evacuation of Afghanistan, where people offered up their homes, money, clothes and good will to those who have risked their lives and supported British troops in Afghanistan.

"I know that people will see through yet another attempt by the far right to spread fear and poison in our community."