THE decision to allow golfers to use Yelverton golf course while nearby residents are still unable to use the area for dog walking or other leisure activities has brought some strong reaction.

Melanie White, who keeps her horse at Crapstone, has not been riding on the roads for fear of upsetting people.

Speaking on behalf of several people where she works, she was eager to stress that they were not anti-golfers.

'Replies we have had from the various authorities when phoning around for more information were vague. They are stating that there are no rights of way across the course, but golfers have to walk across roads to play.

'We feel they are being very selfish. Everyone has been stopping their hobbies to help the situation.'

Parts of the golf course have been fenced off to prevent any contact with livestock, but there was a feeling that disinfection could not be thorough.

Golf club manager and secretary, Stewart Barnes, countered this. 'MAFF and the Roborough Commoners are more than happy with our arrangements,' he said.

'There will be mats, buckets, brushes and sprays to disinfect trolleys and shoes before entering the course, similar facilities before and after crossing the A386 and also when returning to the clubhouse. The mats will be refreshed every two hours.

'Any member who does not comply with the strict regulations will be suspended.'

Mr Barnes added: 'We have remained closed for ten weeks, despite the fact that we didn't have to, but the authorities say there is no reason not to open.'

Chris George, who lives on the fringes of the area, said local residents would like to see the Down opened and the same risk assessment applied to members of the public as to golfers.

He said that part of the Down was cleared of sheep a month ago as a precaution and asked whether a risk assessment could be made of that area.

Roborough Commoners' secretary Peter Tarling said the commoners would like to see the whole of the common open to the public. 'We treat it as the back garden of Plymouth,' he said.

'However, there are one or two people who have land against the common and, quite rightly, they would be anxious if dogs and their owners were rubbing shoulders with their stock.'

'The golf club is an excepted area and could have stayed open from day one,' he said.

'They can funnel members through one area for disinfection, but this wouldn't be possible on the common as a whole.

'Maristow Estate has now fenced off a part of the Down to contain sheep, which has reduced the risk' he added.

A spokesperson for the Maristow Estate said that Lord Roborough had been campaigning for the common to be opened in areas where there were no sheep, but this would be conditional upon the commoners agreeing not to put sheep back on those areas during the time of foot and mouth restrictions.

The commoners were due to meet with MAFF and the Dartmoor National Park Authority yesterday (Wednesday) to discuss whether the area, which is just one of the Dartmoor commons still closed, could be opened up to the public.

Roger Howard, who lives locally, said initially he was upset by the decision. However, he had since received explanations from the secretary of the golf club and the National Park Authority.

'We have to live with these things. I hope it is soon over and we can get back to walking our dogs,' he added.