RAMBLERS in Worcestershire can now roam over areas of the county where access was previously restricted.

Worcestershire is one of the last areas in Britain where the new Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is to apply - allowing the public to wander over specified moor, heath and down, registered common land and mountain without having to stick to paths. The biggest area in the county to be affected by the Act, which came into effect yesterday, is part of the Malvern Hills, where a stretch of land to the west of West Malvern along to Hollybush is now included. Senior Countryside Officer for the Countryside Agency James Marshall said the additional area meant there was a total of about 350 hectares in that part of Malvern with open access.

He added: "The areas of open access land in the West Midlands were quite small and fragmented but walkers would be able to identify them by new signs. By giving every member of the public the opportunity to get out and enjoy the countryside, we can, in time, build a healthier, more environmentally-aware society." Anyone who wants to find out exactly which areas are included in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act should get in touch with Worcestershire County Council's mapping service or the rights of way team.

District councils will also have maps showing the areas and they can be seen by logging on to www.countryside access.gov.uk, clicking on Places To Go and follow the links to the maps. New editions of the Ordnance Survey Explorer maps will be available by next April.