TWO MPs have promised to do what they can to gain better access to potholes after making a visit to Gaping Gill on Ingleborough.

Former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis and fellow Conservative MP David Rutley were part of a group who visited Britain's highest waterfall – the mighty cascade that tumbles down Gaping Gill's 365ft entrance shaft.

The group, which was led by experienced local cavers and also included leading QC Dinah Rose and Richard Toon, chairman of the Lancashire Local Access Forum, entered the cave via Bar Pot, a 'back door' to the eight-mile long system, that remains safe even during heavy rain..

One purpose of the trip, led by Ingleton rope access specialist and veteran cave explorer Tim Allen, was to experience first-hand the positive benefits of caving both for participants and the wider community.

Another was to give support to a campaign by the British Caving Association (BCA) which Mr Allen is organising to extend access rights to caves.

At present, the government’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) claims the ‘right to roam’ granted to walkers, climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000 does not cover caves.

Some landowners have refused cavers permission to descend systems on their land entirely, while others have imposed onerous restrictions.

Ms Rose, a specialist in public law, has already written a formal, legal opinion for the BCA, which says Defra’s position is not only illogical, but misinterprets the Act. She believes there is no evidence that excluding caves from the law’s scope reflects the will of Parliament when it was debated.

In fact, Defra, and the agency it funds, Natural England, claim that cavers do have a right to cross open access land to cave entrances, and to descend them – but only as far as the point where daylight ceases to penetrate.

"In legal terms, this is simply perverse, and it could well be open to a challenge in court," said Ms Rose.

However, Mr Allen stressed the BCA hoped to win its campaign by persuasion.

He added caving is a large and growing source of income in rural areas, which benefited the economy while causing no damage to the environment.