A FOOTPATH that runs along a disused Hampshire railway line has been extended, thanks to a group of volunteers.

They have cleared undergrowth that was blocking the former track bed between Crow Lane, Ringwood, and nearby Barrack Lane.

Members of the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Footpath Society spent 13 half days removing the vegetation.

Their efforts have enabled Hampshire County Council to extend the Castleman Trail, which allows walkers, cyclists and horse riders to use the old line.

A county council spokesman said: "The work carried out by the society has added another kilometre to the route, enabling people to continue their journey southwards from the edge of Ringwood."

The popular trail is named after Wimborne solicitor Charles Castleman. He was the driving force behind the construction of the railway, which was built in 1845 to link Southampton and Dorchester.

The line, which closed in 1964, was called the Castleman Corkscrew because of the twisting route it had to take through the New Forest.

Yinnon Ezra, the county council's director for recreation and heritage, praised the extension to the footpath.

She said: "Walkers, cyclists and horse riders will now be able to enjoy even more of this scenic trail.

"We are grateful to members of the society whose hard work has opened up this part of the countryside to anyone wanting to get out and enjoy the great outdoors."

The extension will be opened today in a ceremony at Crow Lane, opposite its junction with Crow Arch Lane.