AFTER two years of hard work, a woodland footpath in the centre of Okehampton is to finally open this weekend.

The finishing touches have been put on a deal to allow public access through Clapps Wood, on the bank of the West Okement near the Co-operative store. Having been closed to the public for a number of years, the opening of the walkway provides an off road link from Westbridge Close to Lodge Hill.

The deal has been worked through by Okehampton Town Council, West Devon Borough Council and a private land owner to allow permissive right of way through the wood.

The town council agreed a deal to purchase Clapps Wood from the borough council in 2011 for £4,000.

The land had become overgrown with laurel, an invasive plant which contaminates the ground and prevents other plant species from growing. The hard work of volunteers from the Okement Rivers Improvement Group, and local people who have given their own free time, cleared the site of laurel trees. The stumps have been treated by the park keeper, and over £2,000 of dangerous trees have been felled.

As well as tree removal, the volunteers working on the site have put in a path and a wooden fence along the bank, and conservation work has been carried out.

The pathway is to open at 10am on November 30, with the town mayor Cllr The Rev Mike Davies, Okehampton Town and West Devon Borugh Councillors and members of the Okement Rivers Improvement Group will be in attendance.