THE chairman of Dartmoor Commoners' Council is to push for a date change for the annual Ten Tors challenge, traditionally held on Dartmoor in May.

John Hodge, who farms near Okehampton, has tried unsuccessfully in the past to get the event moved to a September fixture. Now he feels change could be in the air for the Army-organised moorland trek.

Mr Hodge said: 'Spring is a particularly busy time on Dartmoor for the animals.

'The build-up to Ten Tors is almost bigger than the actual event. You get teams training, there's a lot of parents up here, they bring their dogs, you get foals mis-mothered and following groups of people — and the lambs too.'

Mr Hodge said the contrast between this year's build-up to Ten Tors and last year, when the event had to be cancelled due to the foot and mouth crisis, was particularly marked.

'It was so peaceful. I saw a lot more birds, I saw nesting grouse. Now, with all the pressure of military training and Ten Tors, I've never seen the moor so busy.

'We're all for Ten Tors, it's a good thing — my daughter has done it, but it would be nice to put it off until September.'

Mr Hodge said this would be a better time for Ten Tors as far as farming was concerned — and he felt the weather would be more reliable at that time of year.

'There is talk of the school year changing, so it could be a time for change,' said Mr Hodge, who will make his proposal at the next meeting of the Ten Tors steering group at the end of the summer.

David Harris, Army spokesman, said the Army would be 'open to persuasion' concerning a date change, logistics permitting.

He said: 'It's not the Army that insist on this time of the year, it's those people who tell us, ie, the schools and youth clubs etc, and have done so for many years, that the middle of May is the optimum time to hold Ten Tors.'

Mr Harris said it was also important to bear in mind that a compulsory three-month training period has to be completed by teams entering Ten Tors — school holidays and exams could make this difficult if the event was held in September.

John Weir, spokesman for Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: 'The Park Authority supports the view that it would be better if it was held later in the year to avoid that very sensitive ground-nesting period, but we have no quarrel with the organisers.

'The co-operation we receive regarding the avoidance of sensitive sites has been extremely good and the event overall is extremely well managed.'

Mr Weir felt the rescheduling of the school year could offer an opportunity for change, but full consultation with all parties would be vital.

Chris Powell, principal at Okehampton College, said he could foresee difficulties in fitting in training, exams, exam revision and school holidays if the event was moved to September.

It would need very close investigation of the facts for and against such a move, both scholastically and environmentally, he said.