Deal is bidding to become the first Kent town to get Walkers Are Welcome status.

The national accolade is awarded to towns demonstrating support for walking in their area. Criteria includes having leaflets, signs and waymarked walks in the area, giving advice on public transport to encourage walkers to leave cars at home, and maintaining rights of way.

Twelve towns in Britain currently have Walkers Are Welcome status. These include Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire, Moffat in the Scottish Borders and Prestatyn in Wales.

A steering group, named A Walk In Deal, has been formed to press for Walkers Are Welcome status. It comprises Alan Sutton, who runs the Happy Walkers group and who organised Deal’s first walking festival last year; Mercury editor Graham Smith, a founder member of the White Cliffs Ramblers group, and Jane Langstaff, from Deal and Walmer Chamber of Trade.

Chamber chairman Peter Varrall said: “It will gain some powerful national promotion for our town."

A petition, which needs 500 names, is circulating as part of the application.

Copies of it can be signed at various Deal businesses, including the Mercury office at 13 Queen Street.

Deal Town Council is being asked to endorse the project. Town mayor, Cllr Bill Gardner, said he supported the plan