A COWBOY has opened a Western-style riding centre in the Yorkshire Dales, despite an ongoing battle over a planning wrangle.

Django, real name Martin Kiss, opened Swaledale Ponies at his farm in Thwaite, Swaledale, last week.

The centre teaches offers pony trekking adventures and lessons on controlling a horse like a cowboy.

Django said it had been his dream to open the centre.

"We take people out for a ride to see the beautiful Yorkshire Dales countryside by horseback," he said.

"Even if you do not love horses, you can enjoy the scenery and the challenge."

Django said the centre was already proving popular with horse riders.

But planning officers are less impressed.

Last year, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority ordered the removal of windows and doors from a barn that Django had converted into a tack-room on his farm.

The ruling came after people living above Django's homestead objected.

The authority also demanded he demolish a horse training ring and remove a caravan, in which he is living, after he failed to obtain planning permission for them.

Django said planners should be backing his venture.

"This is a good little business and the national park authority should have supported it a long time ago," he said.

But Peter Watson, the national park authority's head of planning, said the cowboy had built "a very substantial unauthorised development" which had provoked complaints from the community.

"We have sought to negotiate a solution but have been unable to do so and therefore have taken formal enforcement action," he said.

A public inquiry will be held in October to decide the fate of the buildings.

The political refugee, named after jazz musician Django Reinhardt, left Hungary nearly 20 years ago.

He discovered Thwaite by accident during an 18-month horseback tour of Britain six years ago, when he also taught himself how to ride like a cowboy.

While following the Pennine Way on his horse Gypsy, he took a wrong turn into the village