I too share the bewilderment and consternation expressed by Charmaine Earl (Your Letters, October 22) regarding the disused footpath at the rear of her property in Redland Road.

All of her district councillors and county councillor took up this matter to see if anything could be done. We canvassed those residents affected and, not surprisingly, there was almost total opposition to the proposal.

Armed with this information we had several meetings with the relevant district and county council officers to look into the possibility of closing this footpath.

It seemed to us to be perfectly reasonable to suggest this as there is now an alternative route thanks to the access re-opened by the developers of Santler Court, at no small expense, from Redland Road up onto Howsell Road.

The advice we received was that to close the footpath there would need to be a local public inquiry that would cost those petitioning for it a minimum of £5,000. We would be up against the local footpath society and various ramblers' associations who are extremely experienced and well organised when it comes to putting their case in such forums and that the chances of us succeeding were extremely small. Having been told this, it was with extreme reluctance and not a little anger that we abandoned all hope of permanent closure.

It has to be said that ramblers' associations and footpath societies have done great work in opening up the countryside for the general public to enjoy.

However, when they insist on forcing through the retention of routes such as this one their reputation and standing is diminished as a result.

Clive Smith, Greenfields Road, Malvern Link.