RESIDENTS campaigning against the closure of a footpath into Blackburn's Witton Park have been told access will be restored - in two years time.

People living around the park have been protesting against Blackburn with Darwen Council's decision to erect a fence along the edge of Buncer Wood, blocking a footpath into the wood and adjoining playing fields owned by Witton Park High School.

They claim the path has been used by the public for decades and should be designated a right of way.

Now Coun Eileen Entwistle, chairman of the council's leisure, sport and cultural services committee, has written to residents to say access will be restored in the future.

She said the fence was put up after the governors of Witton Park High School expressed concern about dog dirt on the playing fields.

The council agreed to construct the fence at Buncer Wood because it would only cost £3,000, compared to £20,000 to fence off the school field. She said a strong thistle hedge would be planted round the boundary at the school's expense.

It would take around two years to mature.

A gate would then be put into the fence at Buncer Wood.

Coun Entwistle said the council understood the new fence would cause some inconvenience, but it simply replaced one that had been there in the past.

"It is our fence which caused the problem of dog owners going on to the playing fields so we have just replaced it.

"Children can be blinded by dog dirt and their safety must be the priority," she said.

But one of the Witton Park Users' Group, formed to fight the fencing plan, said two years was too long to wait, adding: "This is just a footpath. If it is not used for two years it will be completely overgrown."

A petition against the fence has been started. More than 1,000 signatures have been collected in three days.

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