CHIGWELL dog-owners are fuming over a decision by Essex County Council to fence off a path they have trodden for more than 20 years.

Residents have walked their dogs on park land opposite the Three Jolly Wheelers pub, Chigwell High Road, for as long as they can remember, but last week without any warning, council contractors replaced the stile at the site's entrance with iron railings.

Elaine Jones of Love Lane immediately phoned the Guardian. She said: "The stile was there this morning, but this evening when I went to walk my dog, they had fenced it over no signs, no warning, no nothing.

"I've lived here 18 years and people have always walked their dogs on that land. It's a lovely area. We won't let them just take it away from us. It's a public path," she added.

The former refuse tip is a haven for wildlife including birds, bats and some rare insect species, and is a favourite spot for local dogwalkers and horseriders, but according to the council, which owns the land, it has never incorporated any public rights of way.

A spokesman said: "There has been a problem recently with youngsters on motorbikes getting into the site, disturbing the neighbours, so we decided to fence it off to prevent trespassing. The land was never intended for public use."

Mrs Jones said: "The kids on their motorbikes aren't going to be put off by a fence.They will just climb over. The only people this is stopping, is people with dogs. My dog Sasha is 14 and a half years old and is riddled with arthritis. I have always walked her here.

"It is one of the benefits of living in this area and I shouldn't have drive for miles just to take my dog for a healthy walk. It feels like we're being penalised because they can't be bothered to come up with a real solution to the problem of motorbikes, like a gate that riders couldn't get through," she added.

According the Ramblers' Association residents would have a strong case to reopen the route.

A spokesman said: "In a situation where there is evidence to show users have had unobstructed access for over 20 years, they can apply to have the path designated as a public right of way. The presence of a stile, and the lack of any sign declaring the land private, would seem to show an 'intention to designate' and should lead a court to back the applicants."

One resident said he had been using the land to walk his dogs for more than 50 years. Mrs Jones added: "Maybe the council thought if they just fenced it up without consulting us, we'd keep quiet. Now it's going to take months of paperwork to undo something that should never have been done. It's ridiculous."