VILLAGERS fighting to get a bridge built over the River Wharfe at Burley-in-Wharfedale will be trying to 'walk on water' today to highlight their campaign.

Members of the Burley Footbridge Committee will be attempting to cross the river using the stepping stones.

The stones at Greenholme are on the public right of way from Burley to Askwith but are the only river crossing between Ben Rhydding and Otley.

But high waters mean they are impassable for most of the year and even when the river is low they can still be slippery.

Committee members want a footbridge to provide a safer crossing at Burley and properly link the networks of paths on either side of the river for walkers.

But the idea has met with some opposition with some residents at Leatherbank saying a bridge would ruin the area by attracting too many people and making problems such as litter and illegal parking worse.

A planning application has been drawn up for a £250,000 footbridge and is due to be considered by Harrogate councillors on June 16 and by Bradford Council next month.

Committee secretary Brian Spence said: "The idea on Friday is simply to walk from Burley to Askwith. We want everyone to know what a lovely walk it is through the meadows to Askwith and what everyone's missing because there's no footbridge to provide a safe, all day, every day crossing."

And chairman Colin Newton added: "We'll make a reasonable effort to walk across the stepping stones without getting ourselves too wet and putting ourselves in any danger but I don't expect we'll be able to manage it.

"I've checked the stones over the last week and every day they've been flooded. It's a great pity that such a lovely walk, virtually on the doorstep of Burley residents, is rendered out of bounds for most of the year."

Keith Wadd, secretary of the Ramblers' Association's west Riding area, added: "The sooner a footbridge is built over the Wharfe at Burley the better. Not only will local people of all ages benefit, but it would be immensely popular with walkers throughout West Yorkshire and the Harrogate area.

"They'll be able to use the frequent train and bus services to Burley and then a footbridge over the Wharfe will give them an excellent all year link to the footpath network on the beautiful Washburn Valley."

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