WORLD-FAMOUS county golf course Muirfield could admit women as members after all, after the club based there said it was looking to hold a fresh ballot on the issue.

Six weeks ago, on May 19, The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (HCEG) announced that its proposal to allow women to become members of the club, which was supported unanimously by the club committee, had failed to reach the required two-thirds majority for change.

An independently scrutinised postal ballot recorded a vote of 64 per cent in favour of the resolution and 36 per cent against on a turnout of 95 per cent of members eligible to vote.

But now the club - the oldest in the world - will now seek authority from the membership, at a Special General Meeting to hold a fresh postal ballot on the issue before the end of the year.

HCEG captain Henry Fairweather said: “A substantial majority of our members voted for change and many have voiced their disappointment with the ballot result and with subsequent events.

"The Club Committee believes that a clear and decisive vote in favour of admitting women as members is required to enable us to begin the task of restoring the reputation of the club that has been damaged by the earlier ballot outcome.”

The decision to continue not to accept women as members was widely condemned when it was announced last month, including by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and various local politicians.

The same day as the result of the vote was announced, The R&A stated that Muirfield would no longer host The Open Championship - which last came to the county course, near Gullane in 2013.

However, The R&A stated that it would reconsider that decision if Muirfield voted to accept women as members.