A "DISAPPEARING" footpath has been opened up for walkers to enjoy for the first time in half a century.

The Herald has carried numerous stories on the mysterious right of way between Steeton and Sutton.

The footpath, known as Steeton 13, is marked on Ordnance Survey maps.

But ramblers have been stumped by the ancient path which apparently disappears half-way across Steeton Moor.

When walkers attempt to follow the route, they are met with a five-feet high dry stone wall, which is almost impossible to climb.

The Herald first highlighted the problem back in 1996 when local experts were divided over whether the path ends at the wall or continues into Sutton.

Now the path has been opened up for people to enjoy after extensive negotiations between the landowner and rights of way staff at Bradford Council.

"It's always been established that the problem was on the Bradford side and not North Yorkshire," said senior engineer Geoff Marsh.

"We managed to get co-operation from the landowner and negotiate providing a stile in the wall."

Last year Bradford Council appointed an extra member of staff to deal with major rights of way issues such as Steeton 13.

The problem dates back to 1949 when officials drew up the definitive map of paths across Keighley.

They marked the route on their plans, but failed to find a stile or way through the wall.

News that the footpath had been opened up has delighted walker Leslie Howard.

Mr Howard, of Coppy Nook, Steeton, has been campaigning for action to be taken for many years.

"I'm very pleased that it's finally been opened up, but what I can't understand is why it's taken them so long," he said.

"If it hadn't been for the Craven Herald I don't think we'd have got anything done."

o An action plan has been drawn up aimed at improving signs, removing obstructions and modifying the definitive map of rights of way across Bradford.

A survey has identified decades of work to bring the whole footpath and bridleway network up to standard with existing resources.

The council has secured an extra £20,000 for rights of way signing and minor improvements.

Steeton and Eastburn has been earmarked as a priority area for new signposts.

Obstructions are being looked at in Addingham and on a path in Steeton which is blocked in two places.

Boardwalking is to be installed on a path at Great Gill, Silsden, before April next year.