Anyone walking off the excesses of the festive period may have been tempted to commit an offence.

A public notice in the edition of 19th December of the Beacon gave information of the closure of seven footpath bridges in Monmouthshire, at Raglan, Devauden, Grosmont, Llangwm, Llanover, Llanarth and Llangattock-Vibon-Avel.

The notice from the Head of Legal Services of Monmouthshire County Council states that the footpath bridges have been closed as they present a danger to the public due to a substandard condition.

The notice gave details and numbers of the footpaths, which even confounded some local councillors as the numbers of the paths were not easy to understand, leading one clerk, Roy Nicholas of Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, to write to Shaun Pritchard, assistant Rights of Way officer at MCC, for clarification of the footpath that was closed.

Subsequent investigations have found that no notice is displayed at the beginning of the footpath, only at the bridge that is closed on health and safety grounds.

Walkers, on reaching the closure, have no choice but to turn back, divert from their chosen path, or trespass and try to find another way across the stream.

The public notice stated that any person who 'contravenes a restriction or prohibition shall be guilty of an offence'.

The force came into order on 28th December and is set to last up to six months, or until the bridges have been made safe.

Mr Pritchard, in his response to Mr Nicholas, said the Temporary Traffic Prohibition Notice was 'likely to expire before MCC will have had time to properly revue [sic] the situation, hence the need for the order which will last up to six months'.