Campaigners who have been working hard to keep a much-loved Frome riverside path open, have been surprised and relieved to find the path has now been shown as a public right of way on the area's latest Ordnance Survey map.

That however is not quite the end of the dispute with developers who have cut off the path with a metal fence.

They have been asked to remove the fence but as was explained to Frome Nub News in order to make the path access a permanent feature, it must also go on the central main map held in Taunton.

It was explained to Nub: " Just because a path is shown on the OS map does not mean it is a public right of way. A public right of way must be on the definitive map which is owned by Somerset County Council and resides in Taunton."

The Save Wallbridge Adderwell Path group (SWAP) was set up earlier this year to oppose plans by an out of town developer to fence off the area for his private use.

The latest OS online map shows the Wallbridge to Adderwell path marked (with green dotted line) as a right of way following exactly the route that local people have walked for 30 years and more.

"This simple right to continue to walk the path is exactly what we've been campaigning for," said Simon Keyes, chair of the Save Wallbridge Adderwell Path group.

1,700 local people have signed a petition in support of the campaign which is fully backed by Frome Town Council and by organisations such as Friends of the River Frome, the Civic Society and Frome Recreation and Open Ground Supporters (FROGS).

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"There's plenty of evidence that this path is already a right of way" says Simon, "but we weren't expecting the formal recognition quite so soon. Naturally we're delighted to find that it's now on the map and hope it stays that way. We've asked the landowners to remove the obstructions they've put up".

Somerset County Council also expressed surprise that the path has appeared on the map and have said they will look into the matter.

A spokesperson for the campaigners said: " Everyone looking at this map would think there is a public right of way here.

"Nobody would ever think about checking the definitive map before they went on a walk. We will have to wait and see what happened.

"In the mean time we keep walking it."