PEOPLE in Bratton are taking action after they found a popular footpath which has been used for around 60 years had been blocked.

Residents who were angered by the sudden closure of The Watercress Walk, as it is known locally, are now appealing to Wiltshire Council to make it a public right of way, meaning it would be reinstated.

Katherine Beaumont, who used the path which runs for about 300 yards alongside the edge of Luccombe Mill before coming out onto land owned by Wessex Water, said: “It has been open for about 60 years and previous owners have been good about letting people use it.

“As it has been used for over 20 years, it should be recognised as a public right of way. There have never been any problems with the path, it has always been respected by those who use it, so it seems like a strange decision to shut it – maybe he sees it as an invasion of privacy.

“People love to take their grandchildren on that path as it’s such a magical walk so I really hope we can make it a public right of way.

“I think we have a good chance as Wiltshire Council will see that it was a well-used footpath.”

Recently walkers have found that stiles leading onto the path have been removed, with fences put up across the entrance and a Private Property sign on the fence.

Bratton resident Phil Workman said support for the campaign is strong.

He said: “In order to have the path reinstated by Wiltshire Council we have had to collect witness statements as evidence from people who have used the path regularly both in the recent past and long ago.

“We have had a tremendous response and have already presented the application with supporting statements to Wiltshire Council’s Rights of Way team.

“We believe we have a good chance of success as any path which has been regularly used by the public for 20 years or more can be claimed as a public right of way provided there is sufficient evidence of use.”

If you have used the Bratton Watercress path and would like to provide written evidence to support the campaign to have it reopened, then contact either Katherine Beaumont on 01380 830433/ kat.beaumont@gmx.co.uk or Phil and Liz Workman on 01380 830911/pworkman_99@yahoo.co.uk