A COUNTY councillor has joined the row over access to the countryside, calling for all footpaths in Burnley to be reopened, branding the current situation whereby parts of Burnley, Padiham and Ightenhill remain out of bounds as "ridiculous."

Despite an announcement from Lancashire County Council in July that the majority of the county's 3,176 miles of footpaths were to reopen, footpaths on Pendle Hill and Ightenhill have remained closed.

Last week, it was announced Pendle Hill will stay out of bounds during Halloween celebrations.

Because of the outbreak of foot and mouth cases in the Ribble Valley, parts of the county had to remain out of bounds.

A map was drawn and the M65 motorway used as a boundary. Now Coun Marcus Johnstone wants that boundary scrapped.

He said: "While I fully understand the reasons for the closure not being lifted in areas such as the Ribble Valley where there have been foot and mouth outbreaks, the use of the M65 as a boundary is completely arbitrary. The situation has left walkers confused.

Assistant at the tourist information office, Janet Sheppey, said: "We had about 70 visitors on the Saturday, the majority of whom were dressed for walking and hoping to climb Pendle Hill."

Footpaths in Padiham and Ightenhill, which are both in Coun Johnstone's Burnley West ward are closed yet walkers on the other side of the motorway can enjoy open access to the countryside.

Coun Johnstone added: "I understand the closure is now widely being ignored in Padiham and Ightenhill and am calling for the reopening of all footpaths in Burnley as soon as possible.

"The last outbreak of foot and mouth was in July, and although I am sure that it is still necessary for footpaths in the Ribble Valley to remain closed, it seems ridiculous that the closure should also apply to Burnley."

Coun Johnstone plans to take up the matter with Lancashire's director of environment, Graham Harding.