A RIGHTS of way expert has won a three-year legal battle to overturn a £15,000 costs order made against him.

Alan Kind, editor of the Byways and Bridleways Trust journal, was ordered to pay the money, along with two representatives of the British Horse Society in 2002.

He had objected to plans by a farming family to claim that Jack Lane at Hunton, near Bedale, was wrongly included as a bridleway on the definitive rights of way map for Richmondshire.

His objections, and those of the British Horse Society (BHS), resulted in an appeal and an inquiry.

At the inquiry, Government inspector Graham Laslett ruled that the objectors had acted unreasonably and awarded costs of £15,000 against Mr Kind and the BHS.

Mr Kind, from Newcastle, has since sought two judicial reviews of the costs award and found out two weeks ago that he had been successful and the decision had been overturned.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said: "The county council made its position perfectly clear at the public inquiry when the inspector awarded costs against Mr Kind and the British Horse Society."

He added that the council would not be pursuing the matter any further.