Signage reminds walkers to respect the countryside

People have been reminded to act responsibly while enjoying the countryside on the Isle of Man as lambing season continued.

The Manx National Farmers' Union has created signs to highlight the Countryside Code, which includes advice to leave gates as you find them and keep dogs on leads.

Union secretary Sarah Comish said the rules existed to "protect livestock and farmland" and the signage aimed to provide a greater understanding of them.

Following the guidance would be an "immense help to people who are farming and taking care of the lambs", she said.

The posters remind residents and visitors to stick to established footpaths, to take any litter home, not to feed livestock and to give them space.

They also encourage those who see an animal in distress to contact the farmer or landowner, rather than try to step in to help.

The union has urged those who find lambs on their own not to remove them, as they often shelter or rest while their is grazing nearby and therefore "had not been abandoned".

Ms Comish said it was "really important to protect the natural order" as separating a lamb from its mother broke the bond between the pair.

She said the "vast majority" of people who went out in the Manx countryside and used the footpaths "don't go out with the intention to cause harm".

It was hoped the signage would help to develop "respect for people who have a livelihood on the land and for the animals that are living out there".

Members of the farming community have been encouraged to contact the union for a free sign to display on their gates, to promote the details of the code.

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