A decade-long battle to build a cycle track linking the entire Amman Valley has moved another step closer with the latest section likely to be fully opened by next summer, Ammanford Town Council has been told.

The £1.1million track, jointly funded by Carmarthenshire County Council and Neath Port Talbot Borough Council, aims to create a picturesque cycle link between Ammanford and Cwmtwrch.

The pathway will ultimately form part of nation-wide cycle route running the length of the country.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Phil Snaith told town councillors: "We feel we have had the best 12 months we have ever had."

Mr Snaith said that more than £500,000 had been spent on the project in the last three months alone and a further £150,000 would be spent between the two authorities in the coming year.

"Around £1.1m has been spent in the last 11 years with around half of that being spent in the last six months," said Mr Snaith.

"There have been a number of environmental and ecological issues arising from going through a very ancient area of woodland.

"What we have now got is a very nice cycle route with full disabled access as well.

"At last the Amman Valley cycleway really does exist."