Horse riders won the right yesterday to go on using a track on quiet farmland instead of switching to a dangerous road.

A planning inspector decided the route of more than a mile that they have ridden along for years at Lartington, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, should be officially classed as a bridleway.

This means that all riders are entitled to use it when they like, despite objections from one local landowner and Lartington Parish Council.

Barney Grimshaw, the inspector who heard evidence from both sides at a public inquiry on March 7, said that he was satisfied that horses had gone along the track regularly for a period of 20 years before a protest was lodged.

He pointed out that this was the vital issue in the dispute, and if the 20-year spell could be proved, no other point made by either party could be taken into account.

He said: "On balance, it is my view that the evidence indicates the route was used by the public as of right and without interruption for 20 years, so as to raise the presumption that it had been dedicated as a public bridleway."

Durham County Council decided last year to class the track as a bridleway, but Derek Bayles, who owns land around most of it at Osmond Flatts Farm, appealed against the decision, along with the parish council.

Mrs Pat Ellwood, one of the riders using the track, told the hearing that if it was closed to horses, they would have to ride along a main road through Lartington and negotiate two sharp and dangerous bends.

Mrs Ellwood said at her home in Startforth yesterday: "This is wonderful. Horse riders have not been using this route lately because of the dispute, but will now be able to start again.

"It is a very pleasant piece of track which cuts out a really dangerous stretch of road.

"Even well-trained horses have problems on that road because many drivers show no consideration."

She added: "A lot of horse people will be delighted with the decision."

Mrs Ellwood is unable to ride at the moment because of a hip injury, but said she will use the bridleway again when she recovers.

Keen horsewoman Helen Staley said she will soon by riding along the bridleway on Mister Muddypaws, winner of several steeplechase races, including two Durham nationals at Sedgefield.

Ms Staley said as she exercised the 16 year old horse yesterday: "It great to know I can now use that route again."

She added: "I can't wait to get on it, as it is first class for riding."