WORRIED residents locked in a dispute with the Environment Agency over a towpath have branded the decision to keep it closed for two more years "a stay of execution".

Previously, the residents of Millbank, Mill Road, Marlow, had been fuming at the possibility of the towpath which backs onto their gardens being reopened to the public.

They say the path, which borders the River Thames and is owned by the agency, is a haven for antisocial behaviour and vandalism and is too concealed to be ever called a public thoroughfare.

Residents say they want the path to be permanently closed off for their own security.

Now the agency has decided to keep the path shut for up to two years because unrestricted access would carry "too much risk" to the public.

An agency spokesman said: "We have reviewed public safety at Millbank and, until the bank has been repaired, have decided that unrestricted public access would carry too much risk.

"We are currently seeking advice from our engineers to establish a way forward over the course of the next two years."

Despite the decision going in their favour, residents said it is simply putting off the decision before the path is eventually reopened.

They claim money to be spent on improving the 25-inch path would also be wasted because it is a dead end and is not highly used by walkers.

Clive Hepper, spokesman for the residents, said: "It is a temporary reprieve for two years.

"It will be open in two year's time when they have spent millions of pounds repairing it even though it is a bank without a thoroughfare."

The path had been closed for more than a year and the agency were previously considering re-opening it despite several incidents of firelighting in 2003.

Now the agency will allow some access with fishermen being allowed to use the towpath during the day through a permit system.

The Environment Agency spokes-man added: "This would be controlled as they need to show their permit to the local lockkeeper and, where necessary, get a key and have any health and safety issues pointed out to them. Putting our land at Millbank onto the scheme will help compensate for the fact that we had to remove Marlow Weir from the scheme a few years ago."