WALKERS have claimed victory in getting a popular path made a right of way.

They campaigned to have unmade Tower Lane, Colchester, designated a footpath when they were denied access after 20 years’ use.

The Homes and Communities Agency put “keep out” signs along the route to stop vandals getting inside derelict Severalls Hospital.

Now, after a 20-month fight, Essex County Council has agreed with residents that the lane should be open to the public.

Robert Johnstone, of Myland Community Council, has been championing the cause since 2009.

He said: “The agency felt the signs were necessary to protect their legal position if and when kids broke into the Severalls site.

“We felt that having people walking along there regularly would be a deterrent, but the agency wasn’t prepared to take that risk.

“We set about getting it registered as a footpath and collecting evidence of how it was used for 20 years.”

He said it was frequently used by dog walkers and people taking a short cut between Boxted Road and Mill Road. Mr Johnstone added: “This is something Colchester United is pleased about, too, because people can use the path to walk home from games. That’s going to ease a lot of the congestion that’s caused such a problem on Boxted Road.”

Tower Lane will be dedicated a Green Way by Colchester Council as part of planning obligations for the hospital site.

The lane forms a link from north Colchester to the town centre and, in future, will be connected with walking routes to the west and north.

An hour-long inaugural walk, called Castle to the Tower, will be held on May 7 to celebrate Tower Lane’s designation.

It starts at Colchester Castle at 12.30pm and takes a 4km route across Cowdray Avenue, through High Woods Country Park and Tower Lane.

There will be refreshments afterward at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

A Homes and Communites Agency spokesman said its project manager was aware of the new designation and had planned that into the development bid for Severalls.