Court date for Madonna row

Superstar Madonna could give evidence at a public planning inquiry over her long-running dispute with ramblers opening up footpaths on her £9 million country estate.

The singer and her film director husband Guy Ritchie have been concerned over a new "right to roam" law which would allow walkers access to parts of her 1,200-acre retreat Ashcombe, near Tollard Royal, Wiltshire.

Now the issue is to go to public inquiry but it is not known if the star, who confirmed dates of her new world tour this week, will appear in person.

Anyone can attend the inquiry but neither Madonna's agent, the Countryside Agency nor the Planning Inspectorate knew if she would be giving evidence at a week-long hearing at the Royal Chase Hotel, Shaftesbury, Dorset, from May 5.

The Countryside Agency has already agreed that ramblers would be denied access to some 15 acres after concerns by the couple that sightseers and paparazzi could legally get within 100 yards of their Grade II-listed Georgian mansion.

The agency said the paths were not included on maps as they did not meet open access criteria but stressed that Madonna used an appeal process open to any landowner and was not treated any differently.

The eight-bedroomed property was the former home of society photographer Cecil Beaton.

But Madonna's time there has not been without problems - she has complained about low-flying aircraft, suffered an attempted burglary and was ordered to take down new 12ft high security gates after failing to apply for planning permission.