Fate of 'unsafe' Tree Top Way in forest near Northampton will be decided in October

More than 32,000 signatures have been collected to save the Tree Top Way in Salcey Forest, which was shut in May after safety inspectors spotted rotten timbers along its structure.

Fans of the walk fear the walk could be condemned and have been waiting for the Forestry Commission to decide if they will carry out vital repairs.

Now, the government body has completed a second safety assessment and say they will make a final call in October.

A spokeswoman for the Forestry Commission said: "We are sorry we have not been able to give an update as quickly as people would have liked since we closed the Tree Top Way at Salcey Forest. We have now had a second independent assessment and unfortunately, it agrees that it should stay closed.

“The second assessment has given us the details we need to get quotes to repair the Tree Top Way as well as ongoing maintenance costs.

“We are very heartened to see the public support for the Tree Top Way and hope that people understand that we have to keep them safe. We will make sure our final decision is made on the latest information available and is the best use of public money. We hope to let people know our final decision in October.”

The Tree Top Way is a quarter-mile route that rises to 20 metres above the forest floor, and at its height offers a view above the trees. It opened in 2005 and reportedly cost £750,000 to build.