“Residents deserve to have dry feet” was the message from a councillor as more than �10,000 was given by area committee three for a footpath.

The path in Tomswood Hill, opposite the Claybury Park estate, will link Amber Lane, Hainault, to the bus stop further along the road.

At the committee’s meeting on Wednesday in Hainault Forest Community Hall, Manford Way, Hainaiult, Conservative Cllr Harold Moth said a funding decision should be deferred until a site visit was carried out.

But party colleague Cllr Joyce Ryan said: “It’s a disgraceful situation. It’s gone on long enough.”

And addressing the fact many residents have to walk on muddy grass to get to from A to B on that stretch of road, Conservative Cllr David Poole said: “Residents deserve to have dry feet.”

Members agreed by five votes to one to pay �10,111 towards the footpath.

The total cost of the 1.2m wide, 140m long tarmac footpath is �33,000, with Transport for London and section 106 money – a pot of cash set aside by developers who carry out borough projects – making up the shortfall.