Residents gather in anger to take on neighbour's huge security gates

Locals have gathered in a Welsh village to protest against a homeowner who has closed off access to a popular walking route. At Vicarage Terrace in Cwmparc near Treorchy villagers are taking matters into their own hands after a new homeowner moved in and set about blocking the accessible walking path to Cwmparc forestry which overlooks the homes in the area.

The walking route to the forest has long been popular among the community and is the only fully accessible route, walkers say. It means so much to some that they've even scattered relatives’ ashes there. The local primary school uses the forest for summer schools and the path is in hourly use, walkers say.

But earlier this month a homeowner decided to commission security guards and erect gates to prevent further access. The road is managed and operated by Natural Resources Wales but it's understood the new homeowner argues the gates have been erected on their private land, while locals the action taken has been "cruel" and say the road has always been used as a key access route for the forest which is open to the public.

A letter sent to Natural Resources Wales by councillor Sera Evans and MS Heledd Fychan states that initial investigations carried out with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council had found that the gates had been erected on land which "formed part of the garden curtilage associated with the adjacent house along the lane and that it was the occupier of the property that had erected the gates".

On Sunday, February 23 members of the community and visitors who use the trail frequently are joining together to protest and demand the gates be removed. They are meeting at the railway bridge between Tylacoch and Treorchy before one group walks the difficult