THE finishing touches are being completed on a resurfaced Hampshire bridleway as part of a £370,000 revamp.

The Meon Valley Trail will be open in time for the summer holidays after around nine months of work, Hampshire County Council has said.

Improvements caused controversy with some horse riders, cyclists and dog walkers, who said the new surface is difficult to walk or ride on due to the large and sometimes sharp stones.

A public meeting in April saw some 200 people voice their concerns.

Cllr Andrew Gibson, executive member for culture, recreation and countryside, said: "The material we've used is the same as that we used on another stretch of the trail a few years ago, which has now bedded in and which people, including the campaign group, seem happy with."

The project was funded by the county council and South Downs National Park Authority.