THE boss of a charity riding school fears it could close down after a major row with the council.

Lords House Farm, off Wilpshire Road, Rishton, was found to be breaching the terms of its planning permission by letting able-bodied riders use the facilities.

The charity applied to Hyndburn Council to allow able-bodied people, as bosses said the practice had been happening for a decade.

But councillors rejected the proposal, saying that they could not allow organisations to breach planning regulations.

As a result, the charity will no longer be allowed to let able-bodied riders use the facilities.

After the hearing, Mary Walker, chief executive of Lords House Farm, said this put the charity under threat as those riders helped bring in cash used to run the service.

Lords House Farm was set up in 1993 as a charity to provide riding lessons for the disabled.

But now 75 per cent of its clients are able-bodied people from disadvantaged groups.

Mrs Walker said this had gone on for a decade without enforcement action from the council so the charity should be allowed to continue.

The charity applied for this to be permitted under a Certificate of Lawfulness, but Hyndburn's planning committee rejected the application because they believed there was insufficient evidence the activities had been ongoing for a decade.