A LEGAL wrangle over the opening up of ancient drove roads to motorcycles and off-road vehicles has taken a new turn.

A High Court judge has ordered that three of four routes added by Durham County Council to the Definitive Map of Public Rights of Way should be removed.

The county council added four Boats - Byways Open To All Traffic - over Pikestone Fell and Wolsingham North Moor, in Weardale, to the map following an application by motorcyclists based on two 18th Century enclosure awards.

A Government inspector confirmed the existence of the four Boats in January 1999 following a five-day public inquiry into the status of the byways.

Among a strong lobby of landowners at the hearing were the Maktoum family of Dubai, whose Bollihope Estate would be worst affected.

But Mr Justice Silver agreed last week to quash part of the orders following an application by the Starshine Management Company, in London.

His decision was taken on the Treasury Solicitor's advice that the independent inspector should not have confirmed the order because of technical inaccuracies regarding the precise alignment of the three routes.

Mike Lowe, the council's countryside officer, said last night: "The county council is still obliged to recognise the existence of the byways but is, at present, considering the best way to take the matter forward regarding the alignment and management of their use."

Immediately following the public inquiry, the council imposed a temporary ban on modern traffic.

And off-road riders in the North-East Rover Owners' group voluntarily stayed off the routes until the end of the legal process