POLICE were called to calm the increasingly bitter dispute between rowers and anglers on the River Lune, which came to a head on Sunday when a regatta clashed with a fishing match.

Tempers flared as members of the John O'Gaunt Rowing Club came face to face with anglers in boats close to the viaduct.

The rowers claim their regatta was nearly ruined by the behaviour of members of Lansil Angling Club who had positioned themselves in boats on the official starting line.

But the fishing club, which owns that stretch of the Lune, say they didn't know the regatta was on and that they had to cancel their fishing match because of it.

A total of 97 teams took part in Sunday's regatta which attracted juniors and seniors from across the country.

Ladies captain Deborah Telford said that the anglers had refused to move their boats and added: "We had to think about cancelling our biggest event of the year because at the end of the day the health and safety of our rowers comes first.

The anglers were in boats in each arch of the viaduct and we couldn't get past their boats were also creating swells that were dangerous and we were worried about one of the junior boats capsizing.

They say they were only out fishing but they were in each arch and it was pretty obvious to me that they were out to disrupt the regatta.

We had no option but to call the police.

We always go out of our way to ensure we don't disrupt the anglers."

But Richard Hey of Lansil Angling Club said they had no idea a regatta had been organised and that his members were upset that the first full weekend of the course fishing season had been ruined by the rowers.

"They didn't have the courtesy to inform us that they had organised a regatta.

We had a boat fishing match and the arches are the best place to fish for sea trout.

Our lads pay to fish the river so why should they have to get out of the way? Our fishing is disrupted time and time again by the rowers.

It' s a situation we're keen to sort out and we even tried to set up independent mediation but the rowers said they weren't interested.

Once again it was the anglers who suffered and some of them had travelled up for the match.

We've put a lot of money and effort into maintaining this stretch of river for use by our 230 members and other rivers users, including rowers, but we need to sort it out because at the moment it's worse then ever."