NEIGHBOURS living on a small Horwich estate are at odds over the opening of a footpath leading to a nearby park.

Many of the residents of Brooklands are campaigning for the path to be closed because of worries about the security of their homes and children's safety.

But father-of-seven Ian Taylor, wants the path to stay, saying its access to Old Station Park was one of the main reasons he bought his home in March this year.

The footpath on the Fairclough-built estate was on the original plan but was not opened until about two weeks ago when Mr Taylor complained after his six-year-old son Sam, broke his arm when he fell from a 6ft fence trying to get into the park.

Mr Taylor said Sam, who also suffered two black eyes, saw two older boys climbing the fence and copied them. "He could have been killed," he said. But the majority of the residents have submitted a planning application asking for the footpath to be closed, after organising a collection to raise the £180 fee. They say there is an alternative path at the back of Horwich Leisure Centre which leads to the park.

However Mr Taylor claims that the path is no safe alternative for children. He says part of it runs alongside a road used by coaches and delivery vans going to the centre and refers to another stretch as "ambush alley" because it is narrow and dark.

Said Mr Taylor: "The estate path is well-lit and safer altogether. Why make our children walk on a road when they don't have to?"

"Before moving to Horwich we used to live near a busy main road and the kids were depressed because they couldn't play out. One of the main reasons that made us buy our house was its nearness to the park and the path was marked on the plan. Now the children are much happier. They're on the park everyday until it starts getting dark."

Residents have also expressed fears about the park being used by drug users after several hypodermic needles were found in some bushes. But Mr Taylor believes a well-lit, well-used path will keep the drug users away. "I haven't seen any signs of drug-taking and there is no way I would let my children go to the park if it wasn't safe," he added.

Mrs Susan Liles, lives next to the footpath, and says at first she had no objections about the path but has since had cause to change her mind.

It was Mrs Liles' husband who found the syringes after hearing children talking over the garden fence. Mrs Liles said that there have also been two incidents of indecent exposure, involving schoolgirls.

"I don't think the park is a fit place for children. There are also motorbikes tearing up and down and the gap in the fence is wide enough to get a car through," said Mrs Liles.

Mrs Liles said there were only two objections to the path being closed, the majority of residents are in favour.

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