Busy footpath in Brontë village restored

Major improvements to a public footpath used by thousands of visitors every year have been completed in Haworth.

The footpath, which links Weavers Hill car park with Main Street, had become uneven and hazardous but has now been tarmacked to provide a more accessible surface.

Thousands of people visit Haworth every year from across the globe to walk in the footsteps of the Brontë sisters, who lived in the town in the early 19th Century.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: "This upgraded footpath strengthens an important link in the heart of Haworth, supporting a safer and more inclusive access for those who visit and enjoy this much-loved village."

The path had become unsafe due to root damage from several trees, as well as debris and broken fencing that had started to encroach on to the path and the overhead trees, which were affected by Ash Dieback.

Bradford Council removed the unsafe trees and collaborated with local allotment tenants and the tenant of the neighbouring paddock to clear the path's border creating a 5ft (1.5m) wide route.

The work was paid for with money from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.