THE future of one of the country's smallest youth hostels could be secured in the short-term.

The Youth Hostels Association (YHA), which has been considering the future of the hostel in the hamlet of Ellingstring, near Masham, North Yorkshire, has tabled a second planning application to turn the 18-bed hostel into a home.

A previous application by the association was rejected by Harrogate Borough Council.

The future of Ellingstring, which charges £7 a night for over- 18s and £5 for younger people, was put in doubt because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, which cost the YHA £5m of its £30m annual turnover last year.

But Carol Hancock, regional spokeswoman for the YHA, said the national trustees had decided Ellingstring was not viable two years ago and had submitted the planning application.

She said the hostel's long-serving manager, Celia Wright, who lives in Ellingstring, was keen to see the hostel continue operating and wanted to purchase the property.

Miss Hancock said if the latest planning application for conversion was granted, the manager would be invited to buy and continue to run it as a youth hostel.

Nationally, the YHA has 228 hostels. Ten of them have come under threat of closure because of financial problems caused by the drop in visitor numbers during the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

The futures of Aysgarth, Dufton in Cumbria and Holmbury St Mary's in Surrey, which were all considered for closure, are now being reconsidered following widespread protests.

Some of the biggest hostels have about 300 beds.

A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council said the latest application concerning the Ellingstring hostel had not yet been considered.