Dorchester Civic Society aims to launch a £100,000 action plan to save the town's crumbling riverside walks.

The organisation is to spearhead a project to restore the footpaths, banks and undergrown bushes to their former glory.

Now the group is to probe ownership of sections of land and draw up a scheme for the walkways along the Mill Stream section of the River Frome.

Dr Margaret Rehahn, chairman of Dorchester Civic Society, said: "It is an extremely pleasant walk but it could be even nicer and a great asset to the town.

"Parts of it are very narrow, particularly near the White Hart and the paths are not in good condition."

She added: "It is in a deplorable condition from Hangman's Cottage to the White Hart."

The joint Dorchester heritage committee asked the society, which monitors Dorchester's heritage and built environment, to lead the projects.

The move comes amid concerns over the overgrowth of bushes, poor state of the banks and deteriorating condition of the paths.

In October 2001 the committee and the Environment Agency joined forces to pay £2,500 for emergency measures.

The work included fixing footpaths, repairing stonewall banks and masonry, cutting back shrubs and shoring up banks.

Other concerns about the walk have included lack of lighting, drunks, dog mess, rats and rubbish dumped in the water.

Now the civic society has been given the go-ahead to guide the long-term master plan to save the area and hopes to win funding from organisations such as the National Lottery.

Dr Rehahn said: "It is quite a complicated process and there are technical details about land ownership. The walks are important as they follow the Roman perimeter of the town."

Ducks, water voles, some swans and wildlife make the Mill Stream's banks their home, but it is also used by many families and visitors as a walk.

The route runs alongside the river from Hangman's Cottage, behind Friary Hill, next to Frome Terrace, and up to High East Street before flowing past Holloway Road and Lubbecke Way.

The heritage committee consists of representatives from West Dorset District Council, Dorchester Town Council and Dorset County Council as well as groups such as the town's chamber of commerce and civic society.