A footpath painted onto a dead end road has been branded 'weird' and a 'joke' by Minehead residents.

The path has been painted onto the old A39 road, now rarely used by cars, which runs parallel to the A39 into a dead end below Conygar Tower, a folly on a hill between Minehead and Dunster.

Chris Ryan posted pictures of the path into the Minehead Community Group on Facebook. One group member said: "This is some joke." while another commented: "That's weird a few cars go up to the folly and pedestrians move to the side, they have more common sense than whoever did this."

Mr Ryan told the West Somerset Free Press: "I don't do this very often, but when I saw this I thought I'd show my fellow citizens. I thought is this another green joke? It's not achieving anything at all."

He added: "Don't get me wrong, I'm a green man, Iv'e been a vegetarian for 50 years and I was into recycling before it was fashionable. But this path isn't needed."

The new old a39 footpath pictured in either direction. On the right looking toward North Hill, Minehead
The new footpath along the old A39 pictured in either direction. On the right looking toward North Hill, Minehead (Chris Ryan)

Mr Ryan took two pictures of the path in both directions.

The view toward North Hill is seen on the right in the photograph above.

Mr Ryan noted: "What's really strange is that they have followed the curve of the hedgerow roots including subsided bits. You couldn't make it up."

In response, another member of the Minehead Community Group said: "They haven't got a clue what they are doing or why."

Somerset County Council were unable to tell the West Somerset Free Press the cost of the footpath, but a spokesperson described it as "minimal."

In a statement the council said: "This route is a temporary arrangement to ensure continued access for pedestrians and cyclists whilst work on the improved active travel path between Minehead and Dunster is undertaken.”