A PARISH council wanting to give a piece of land away has come up against a stumbling block.

The council at the tiny village of Copt Hewick, near Ripon, wants to pass ownership of Copt Hewick Common to Harrogate Borough Council.

But Mike Poole, Harrogate's senior estates surveyor, is recommending the borough council refuses the offer.

The land is outside the village, near the junction with Patience Lane and Sycamore Grange, and is regularly used for fly-tipping and as a dirt track for bikers.

The borough council's head of parks, Pat Kilburn, has been consulted on the issue and said there would be no benefit in taking on responsibility for the land from the parish council.

Mr Kilburn believes the borough council would be taking on "a considerable liability" if it accepted the offer.

Mr Poole said that if it accepted the land transfer, it would mean the borough council being responsible for any fly-tipping and policing the land to prevent anti-social behaviour.

Copt Hewick Parish Council registered the land as common in 1968.

"Legal advice is that, unlike closed churchyards that can be passed to district councils, there is no legislation requiring us to take on the responsibility," said Mr Poole, who is recommending to Councillor Alan Skidmore, cabinet member for resources, to refuse the offer.