Footpaths and bridleways in East Sussex will not meet national maintenance targets unless there is a major injection of cash.

The county council said it would need to spend £2.7 million before its 2,000-mile rights of way network was open, clear of obstructions and properly signposted.

The overall state of footpaths and bridleways in East Sussex is deteriorating, according to the council's annual rights of way report.

This year's budget of £252,000 is expected to be cut by £60,000 next year.

The effect of last autumn's flooding, which washed away some paths, is still causing a backlog of maintenance work.

Other paths are overgrown after being closed during the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

Nigel Sloan, of Sussex Ramblers, said the council should recognise the economic value of the rights of way network and act on the report.

He said: "This is a commendably frank admission of failure.

"It is clear that the problem stems from years of underfunding, not just temporary setbacks of floods and foot-and-mouth."

Only 77 per cent of rights of way are described as passable.

The report says 1,880 paths are obstructed and 760 of those are impassable.

More than 1,000 stiles and gates need to be repaired and 150 new footbridges are required.

Tony Reid, who holds the environment portfolio on the council's ruling Cabinet, said the floods and foot-and-mouth had knocked back the repair programme.

He said most of the repairs needed were on expensive-to-maintain bridleways and funding problems would increase next year when Countryside Agency grants were scrapped.

He said: "Expectations are in excess of what funding is made available to cope with it. We are doing the best we can under the circumstances."

The council said it had erected 58 bridges, 220 stiles, 200 signposts and ten gates on footpaths and bridleways during the previous 12 months.

The Countryside Agency set a target of having all rights of way in England open and properly maintained by 2000.