Car giant BMW was yesterday given permission to close a footpath cutting through its Cowley factory.

The manufacturer of the new Mini, wanted to "stop up" the Roman Way bridleway and footpath, off Horspath Road, but the Ramblers' Association and the British Horse Society contested the application.

Yesterday at Witney Magistrates' Court, District Judge Brian Loosley found in favour of BMW and gave the company permission to close the route.

Mr Loosley said that if the case was considered a "David and Goliath" situation, "this time Goliath has won".

BMW, which asked the county council make the application on security grounds, has agreed to provide an alternative footway and cycleway along the Eastern Bypass.

The judge's decision angered bridleway users, including the Ramblers' Association, which said it was "disappointed" by the decision.

John Orchard, a spokesman for the association in Oxfordshire, said: "We felt we had a case and could have won it but the judge felt otherwise.

"The decision today won't deter us from taking on this kind of case in future."

Troth Wells, of Tree Lane, Iffley, who is a member of the British Horse Society, and the Oxford Area Bridleways Association, added: "We are very disappointed with this decision which means riders will no longer be able to use this route to Shotover Park. I was riding my horse Copper there this morning."

The judge ordered the British Horse Society and Ramblers' Association to pay £27,700 legal costs and £19,800 costs respectively, to the county council.

Rebecca Baxter, a spokesman for BMW, said the decision would mean the company could "better utilise" its existing site.

She added: "We are grateful that we can now proceed with planning for the future.

"We have made a commitment to providing an alternative route and will be starting work on that within the next 16 weeks.

"The project will take six months from start to finish. In the meantime, cyclists and pedestrians will still be able to use the existing route until the new path and cycleway is completed and signed off by Oxfordshire County Council."