PROTESTERS say they are determined to fight Ministry of Defence (MoD) efforts to get rid of an historic section of bridleway.

Part of the Robin Hood's Bay Salt Road - which is well over 200 years old - reaches from the A169 Pickering to Whitby road to within metres of RAF Fylingdales.

When the base was built most of the bridleway was diverted, but one small stretch, which is less than a mile long, was left in place.

Now MoD staff want to extinguish the path, which is regularly used by protesters concerned about the role the base would play in a national missile defence scheme.

Demonstrator Ulla Roder, who has camped outside the base since May in a peaceful protest, said: "If they take away a little bit here and a little bit there, where can the public go?

"This is a National Park and it should be undisturbed - these places around the world have to be conserved."

Public rights of way officer Geri Coop, from the National Park, said getting rid of the path simply because it was a dead end was not a valid enough reason.

"In general, it is very rare that we would consider an extinguishment anywhere, without being certain of an equivalent or alternative route," she said. "The policy is the same no matter where it is."

The National Park could be willing to strike a compromise deal with the MoD if the ministry was ready to create another bridleway to replace the old Salt Road, said Miss Coop.

The road lent its name to the historic Saltersgate Inn and was a notorious smugglers' route.

"There is the possibility of using this for positive public gain," she said.

"There are very few east-west routes across the North York Moors. We would try and get something from the Goathland road to Eller Beck Bridge, then along the route of the Lyke Wake Walk - which is currently only a permissive path - to Lilla Cross."

Station commander Chris Knapman said: "We will not restrict any access to MoD land unless it is absolutely necessary.

"Clearly there is a common sense defence issue here, that we have a footpath which goes nowhere, and currently goes within a few 100 metres of a very important base."

Wing Commander Knapman added: "The reason we are doing this now is as a result of the protesters' activity - it's nothing sinister to do with missile defence."

Members of the National Park Authority are due to receive a report from officers about the proposals at a meeting next Tuesday.

Updated: 11:16 Tuesday, November 05, 2002