Amazingly, it is the same path – transformed by a water company which was today branded "vandals" by angry rural campaigners.

United Utilities has laid the stone road on Old Clay Lane, Whittingham, while work goes ahead at Bowland Aqueduct.

But action group members claim it is ripping the heart out of a "wildlife oasis".

John Bruton, Longridge, Goosnargh and Whittingham Action Group chairman, says wildlife such as roe deer, hares, foxes, rabbits and stoats are under threat, while colonies of great crested newts live close by.

He said: "A failure to remove the stone track appears to be in conflict with United Utilities' code of conduct.

"The lane has been undisturbed and unaffected by agriculture for decades and has been an outstanding wildlife oasis.

"This important and unique site is in urgent need of care and protection for the future."

The campaign has been backed by local councillor and Preston Council leader Coun Ken Hudson.

He said of the company: "They are just vandals.

"They are ripping out ancient hedgerows that will take hundreds of years to recover.

"They have shown no responsibility to environmental matters.

"I will write to United Utilities to demand that Old Clay Lane is put back to rural nature."

United Utilities admits to laying down a section of path but denies responsibility for a further stretch, believed to be the work of travellers.

A spokesman said: "We have laid stone on 5m of track and filled in the potholes to gain access to dig down and do work on the aqueduct.

"We understand someone else has laid down another 8m of track.

"We will be restoring the footpath we have worked on when we have completed our work, which will be ongoing over the next couple of months."

Meanwhile, travellers using fields off Old Clay Lane have been given further warnings by Preston Council.

Coun Hudson said the authority was working with police, and prosecutions had been launched against campers for using land occupied by the protected great crested newts.

The council has already issued a planning enforcement order on the travellers, requiring them to quit the site.