DECORATED SAS hero Lieutenant Colonel David Wood has triumphed in his battle against one of his rural neighbours over rights of way.

The 53-year-old Kosovo veteran has been in court proceedings with Edward Waddington over rights of access to a muddy strip of land in Teffont Magna.

Colonel Wood, along with his wife Philippa, bought their £3.25 million manor house home and surrounding land from Liberal Democrat peer Lord Sharman in 2009, and have since built a state-of-the-art equestrian centre there, including an indoor riding arena.

They objected when 47-year-old neighbour Mr Waddington, who hosts commercial shooting parties on his hundreds of surrounding acres, put up a gate to stop them and their clients using a 500-yard track as a route to a nearby bridleway.

The Woods insisted that they had broad rights of way over two bridleways crossing Mr Waddington's land.

But he opposed, fearing that he would be forced to suspend his shoots while horses passed by.

However, three Court of Appeal judges today handed victory to Colonel Wood.

Lord Justice Lewison ruled that the couple and their visitors had the right to cross Mr Waddington's land, whether on foot, on horseback or - in the case of one track - in motorised vehicles.

The judge, sitting with Lords Justice Richards and McCombe, rejected Mr Waddington's plea that the rights of way could only be used on horseback, "for domestic purposes".

Although the couple's use of the tracks had "intensified" in line with their livery business, the judge said Mr Waddington had no right to object.

He said bridleways were "continuous and apparent" features of the land when the Woods' bought their home and they had in effect inherited the right to use them from Lord Sharman and earlier owners of the estate.