A RIDING school owner has offered to help find another way to reduce Marske's horse misery.

Coun Bill Goodwill told this week's Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council meeting that the owner, Tim Hill, was ready with cash and machinery to join forces with Redcar and Cleveland Council in solving the plight of hundreds of riders seeking access to the beautiful beaches between Saltburn and Marske.

He urged the council to support his proposal that an access be found in Saltburn to alleviate the problems in Marske, with its single path down to the beach.

This, too, is the subject of an inquiry, as the borough council seeks to have it upgraded to bridlepath status.

With a barrier preventing access to the beach at Saltburn, riders have to take the bridlepath alongside the railway from Saltburn to Howard Drive, in Marske. There they make their way to the one access, following the closure of two others in the village.

With an estimated 500 horses in a 2-mile radius in the area, it is not just the riding school members who make their way to the access.

Councillors spoke of riders coming from inland areas through roundabouts and the busy Marske High Street.

Residents of Howard Drive have complained and petitioned, claiming an estimate of 100 horses used it, often messily, most days.

Although members were aware that for some time the borough council, as highways authority, had been preparing a plan for horse access to the beaches, they regarded the problems as a matter of urgency.

They agreed to inform the council that they supported its efforts to find an equitable and sustainable alternative route.

And Coun Goodwill said later that Ged Demoily, the borough's parks and countryside officer, said it was conducting a feasibility study on a path. The preferred option seemed to be Hazelgrove.

Later, Mr Hill told the D&S Times that he would gladly offer his help in any way to get access to the Saltburn sands.

There could be two options, he said, through the Hazelgrove Woods where there is a track, or through the Hazelgrove allotments and caravan park road, to the Donkey Path at its foot, and the beach.

As an aside to the messy road, he said an employee followed the string of horses with a bucket and spade to clean things poop-scoop style.

He also added that opening a route to the beach would be a welcome business boost, as his was the only licensed riding school in a very large area.

It attracted educational schools and other organisations from as far afield as Harrogate and Leeds.