A NEW survey by the Countryside Agency has revealed the true state of the footpaths in North Yorkshire.

It shows that almost 3,300 stiles in the county are in need of attention - and a further 921 are virtually unusable.

In addition, almost 3,000 footpath gates are classified as unusable while a further 4,650 are in need of attention.

On top of that, 192 of the bridges on footpaths are unusable with almost 450 in need of attention.

The Labour group on North Yorkshire County Council has described the conditions facing ramblers and walkers as "intolerable".

Their environment spokes-man, Councillor Eric Broadbent, said: "These figures demonstrate years of under-funding by the Conservatives and it is high time they realised how important footpaths and the countryside are to people living in North Yorkshire."

The statistics come from the Countryside Agency's Rights of Way Conditions Survey 2000, which reveals there are 6,859 hazards blocking the 7,000km of rights of way in North Yorkshire.

The report also says it will cost £3,666 per kilometre to get a path that is "not easy to use" into the condition required by law, and it says £95 per kilometre per year will need to be spent to keep it in that condition.

Coun Broadbent said: "More investment is needed to bring about improvements in the conditions of rights of way in this county.

"More staff are needed and the council needs a clear commitment to the countryside."

A Ramblers' Association spokesman said the county council had been doing "a much better job" recently, particularly in focusing its management procedures so the money they had available was used more effectively.

"The council has a long way to go, but it is going in the right direction.

"However, if they could find some more money to employ a few more staff in the area that would help enormously.

"They have nine staff to deal with footpath problems. Other authorities with far fewer miles of rights of way have more."

A spokesman for the county council said: "We appreciate that there are problems, but we are making progress and working with the Ramblers' Association.

"But everything takes time and we are doing our best."