Volunteers are needed to help protect and enhance the use of Argal Reservoir near Penryn for visitors.

The lake is one of 18, also including Stithians, which the South West Lakes Trust will be surveying during 2015 to get a clear picture of visitor numbers..

Rosie Vine, the trust’s marketing and publicity officer, said: “The trust manages over 50 inland waters in the south west of England and aims to promote and enhance sustainable recreation, access, conservation and education on and around these waters for the general public.

“As with all visitor attractions it is essential to have up to date information on visitor numbers and length of stay.

“To enable the trust to successfully carry out these observation surveys we have several volunteer vacancies at sites across Devon, Cornwall and West Somerset. “The surveys, which will take place twice a month throughout the whole of 2015, will provide an overview of visitors to the lakes.”

Volunteers will be asked to register vehicles in the car parks on an hourly basis, with the information analysed and converted into actual visitor numbers and average length of stay for each lake.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering, even once a month, can contact Rosie via email at rvine@swlakestrust.org.uk or call 01566 771930.