Angus Council claims the unadopted path doesn't belong to them - but Jim Ritchie remains unconvinced.

Speaking at last week's Kirriemuir Community Council meeting, Mr Ritchie recalled a time, back in the mid-seventies, when the then local authority tarred and kerbed part of the route, and even installed lighting!

He questioned why the authority would carry out such work if the pathway didn't belong to them.

Chairman Roland Proctor said there were ownership issues over another pedestrian right-of-way that ran from the bottom of Brown's Lane and members suggested that the council go back to the drawing board by re-investigating who owned what.

Mr Ritchie said that at one time these lanes served as routes to the railway station, but, even before then, they connected people with an area used to wash and dry clothing.

He said that, over the years, there had been numerous maintenance problems with regard to the lanes, and matters would only get worse if nothing is done.

"Everything points to the local authority adopting the bottom part of the lane that leads from Wellbank, and I feel that the ownership question needs to be revisited.

Chairman Roland Proctor agreed: "The council, at one time, treated and maintained the pathway in part, so we must ask them to take another look at who owns it. It's the same with Brown's Lane."

Councillors Iain Gaul and Alison Andrews agreed to do a little more ferreting to see what they could come up with, although Councillor Gaul cautioned: "I suspect the council will come back with the answer that the lanes are not on the roads register."