A PUBLIC inquiry has begun in a bid to resolve a seven-year dispute over the route of a public footpath.

Blackburn with Darwen Council and the owners of the Charles Turner paper mill want part of footpath to be re-routed so that it does not run through the mill complex.

Ramblers however claim the proposed diversion would make the path a lot steeper and difficult to walk along.

The footpath currently links Belmont, where the firm is based, to Egerton, and has been closed on several occasions in recent years to allow building work to take place on the site.

Residents in the area are opposed to the new route, and last year took the council to court to stop the change.

At the inquiry, Open Space Society's Don Lee claimed Charles Turner, like many other paper mills, was in financial difficulty.

He said that re-routing the footpath was pointless because the conflict between walkers and the working of the mill could end in as little as six months if the firm went under.

Responding to the criticism, Charles Turner's Nigel Samuel said: "The firm is in financial difficulty but action is being taken to improve the situation and we have the backing of our creditors and things are improving month on month.

"Even if the worst was to happen, the quality of the business is such that it would be attractive to our competition."

He added: "The purpose of re-routing the footpath is to ensure the safety of the walking public and our employees. It will also help create a sustainable network of footpaths on the West Pennine Moors."

He said the firm had helped create the new route, which skirts around the perimeter of the firm, by accessing special tax relief for environmental projects.

But Mr Lee claimed that the the request for new route was being done to save the company money because they currently have to pay to maintain footpaths which cross their land.

Mr Samuel responded: "Our motives have been plain from the start and I have stated them already today."

He added more than £30,000 had been spent on legal fees preparing for the new route.

Other organisations due to speak at the four-day hearing include local parish councils, the Pedestrian Association and rambling groups.