A BID to put a Radcliffe footpath officially on the map has been successful, despite objections from residents.

Householders on Osbourne Walk failed in an effort to stop a footpath outside their homes being granted public right of way status.

Applicants for the footpath say it has been regularly used as a shortcut between Homer Street and Pavilion Walk for more than 20 years.

Their claim was made after Bury Council removed concrete flagging which was jointly maintained with householders who own the land.

This had followed claims made against Osbourne Walk residents by pedestrians who had tripped on the footway.

At a meeting of Bury's planning control committee on Tuesday, residents argued that fencing and a steep embankment had made public access impossible in the time period claimed by applicants.

They added that the presence of a path attracted vandals, motorcyclists and litter louts.

Householder Susan Pye said that attempts to reach a compromise of "permissive use" with those lobbying for a footpath had failed.

She told the meeting: "We will defend our private footpath by all lawful means possible.

"I cannot understand why permissive use has not been taken up as a solution that would appease all of those involved."

But Melton Street resident Jenny Stobart maintained that the path had long been used by the elderly and children inparticular.

She said: "Although many ancillary matters have been brought into the discussion, these are irrelevant to the present application.

"This hinges on the fact that the path has been used for more than 20 years and in law can therefore be designated a public right of way."

Councillors agreed and voted in favour of including the route in the borough's definitive map of public rights of way.