WORK costing thousands of pounds is needed on a badly eroded beckside footpath to prevent walkers from falling into the water.

About 25 yards of footpath by Bedale Beck, which separates the town from Aiskew, has been progressively undermined by the rate of flow and floodwaters at times of heavy rain between Bedale Bridge and the harbour area.

Town councillors are becoming increasingly concerned about its condition because the footpath, which has picnic areas, is a popular route for dog walkers, families and visitors.

A possible cost of £15,000 for underpinning and securing the path was raised at the town council, but town clerk Richard Howard has been authorised to seek three estimates for that and further remedial work in the area around the harbour wall.

Councillors have put £8,000 into reserves to help meet the cost of all the work and are trying to find other sources of funds.

In the harbour area, they have discovered that gabions -baskets filled with stones -are now bulging many years after they were installed to help strengthen the bank of the beck. Mr Howard said: "It is an ongoing problem and the figure of £15,000 is probably already out of date. We are casting the net around to see if there are any funding sources. It is an ongoing problem and councillors are becoming very concerned."

Bob Pocklington, a keen walker who is a member of the town council and Aiskew and Leeming Bar Parish Council, said: "We have spoken to the Environment Agency and they say they can only do minor maintenance.

"There are one or two parts where there is very little land between the path and the beck. If someone slipped in the dark or even during the day, they could go into the beck. This has been a problem for many years, but is becoming more acute."

The last major improvement work on the beck, which cost the town council almost £5,000 and was said to be overdue by almost 30 years, took place early last year. The beck was dredged and encroaching vegetation removed.

A large colony of rats was dealt with and items removed from the water included six shopping trolleys, 118 traffic cones, half a set of portable traffic lights, a sink, a bath and hundreds of bottles and jars.