Residents of an estate have won their battle to re-open a footpath which was blocked off after more than 40 years of use.

The path, on Ravenscliffe estate, runs through Victoria Rangers Rugby Club onto Harrogate Road and residents claim it is used by hundreds of people, including the elderly and mothers taking children to school.

Residents have been fighting against the decision made by members of the rugby club to block the path.

The club boarded up a metal gate taking the path through the club grounds.

But club president John Hodgson today said the club would be re-opening the path after receiving a letter from Bradford Council stating the path was a public right of way.

Thackeray Road resident Garry Hodgson, pictured with fellow protesters, launched a petition to get the path re-opened. "It has been a public right of way for 40 years," he said. "It's been used by practically the whole estate. The elderly and people with young children are having to walk all the way round to get to Harrogate Road.

"Blocking up the gate has made it a complete eyesore, and it has blocked off several snickets leading into it. It's dangerous because children are now climbing over it, someone will get hurt.

"I can't see any sense in boarding the gate up, people walking through it weren't doing the club any harm."

Councillor Ann Wallace (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) said she had been pursuing the case.

Club president John Hodgson said the gate would be re-opened later this week to allow people to walk through the club's grounds again.

"We've had a letter from the Council saying we have to re-open it," he said. "It was totally unknown that we couldn't block it up. It was only blocked off for the safety of children in the area.