Controversial plans to install zip wires at a Lake District reservoir have been withdrawn.

Treetop Trek Ltd had applied for planning permission for a £1.8m activity hub at Thirlmere.

The Lake District National Park Authority received more than 2,300 responses to its consultation on the plans.

Now the firm has announced the application has been withdrawn.

Mike Turner, managing director of Treetop Trek Ltd, said: "We made it clear from the beginning of this process that we would not propose a scheme that was not supported by the MOD.

"To date we have received two contradictory communications with the MOD; one supporting the scheme and the other opposing the scheme.

"The MOD’s internal investigation into Thirlmere and into what they would be happy with at Thirlmere is ongoing and unlikely to be resolved within the next eight weeks, so on that basis we are withdrawing the application.

"We would like to sincerely thank all those who have supported us during this process.

"Their positivity has been hugely appreciated."

Mr Turner said it was ‘too early to say’ whether similar plans could be lodged for another location in the area in the future.

He added: “Obviously we’re disappointed, we put a lot of work in.

“This isn’t really negotiable, we needed the MOD’s support, we had it, we then lost it.

“As it stands at the moment, and I’ve no reason to believe that stance will change, the MOD are not supporting the scheme.

“We had their support and we built the application around that support.

“Unfortunately they’ve taken a change of mind, admittedly late in the day.”

TV star Caroline Quentin, who is best known for her appearances in TV hits Men Behaving Badly, Jonathan Creek and Blue Murder, award-winning filmmaker Terry Abraham, the Friends of the Lake District charity and the Wainwright Society were among those who declared their opposition to the plans.

Author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg said: "I am delighted that those who are devoted to seeing the Lake District prosper for what it is have defeated yet another attempt by marauders. Constant vigilance!"

Fiona Howie, chief executive of Campaign for National Parks, said: “While the concerns of the Ministry of Defence are of course very important, we also believe that the proposal was totally inappropriate due to the impact it would have had on this beautiful and tranquil part of the Lake District National Park.

“If it went ahead, we were also concerned about the precedent it would set for further commercial activity, not only in this peaceful valley, but elsewhere in the Lake District and in other National Parks.”

Cumbrian firm Treetop Trek unveiled its vision to create the new attraction in July.

It would feature two zip lines and an 18km-long family-friendly cycle way and would be located within the managed forestry around Thirlmere, with the lines stretching from one side of the lake to the other.

The plans inspired 14,000 objectors to sign a petition from campaign group Zip Off and they were celebrating what they considered a victory today.

Simon Noble, who is part of the group and was responsible for the petition, said: “My initial reaction was sheer delight.

“I think to be fair there’s an element of caution that if the inquiry comes back in favour of allowing the development to go ahead, then the battle is back on again isn’t it.

“Of those 14,000 people, more than 80 per cent don’t have Lake District postcodes so it’s a national issue.”