Part of one of the most famous walking routes in the country may have to be diverted because of landslips.

The North York Moors National Park Authority has been told diversions may be necessary to the Cleveland Way on the coast.

National trails officer Malcolm Hodgson said there had been a significant number of slips this winter which had narrowed the path and as a result it was likely it would have to be diverted.

It had already been closed because of coastal slippage at Gristhorpe near Scarborough.

"Given that the length at Gristhorpe has taken over two years to resolve it does leave a question of whether we currently apply the right approach to sorting our coastal problems," said Mr Hodgson.

"There is a danger that we could end up 'stacking up' our closure points and that walkers will as a result lose confidence in following the coastal route of the Cleveland Way".

He said there were also serious problems on the trail at Stoupe Beck bridge where a wing wall had collapsed and the slipping of the bank nearby had caused the steps to collapse and threatened the future viability of the bridge.

"The work at Stoupe is essential for the integrity of the trail," he added.

*Meanwhile, some £215,000 is to be spent over the next four years developing a network of pathways as part of the European partnership project, Nortrail, the North Sea Coastal Path which involves coastal area in Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Britain.