Frances Clarkson has told the Langness footpaths inquiry that walkers on the peninsula are abusive to members of her family at least two times every week.

Mrs Clarkson, the wife of Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, told the hearing abuse had even been aimed at her children, aged 15, 12 and 10.

In her evidence at the Mount Murray Hotel today, she emphasied that she had never refused permission to walk the land to anybody who had asked.

She said she grew up in Castletown and had always known people liked to visit Langness, and was happy for that to continue.

However, she also said that, as a child, she had been shouted at by the lighthouse keeper for trespassing on private land when she rode her horse on the peninsula. She said she had always been aware Langness was privately owned.

Mrs Clarkson said she and her husband had also struggled to enforce a rule which required dog walkers at Langness to always keep their animals on a lead, and that it was even a problem in fields where there were sheep grazing.

She said other people would try to get up close to take a picture.

Tomorrow, inquiry inspector Roy Hickey will visit the peninsula, with the Clarkson's legal team and members of the pressure group PRoWL.

After that the proceedings will be adjourned until August 11, when further evidence will be heard.