A DANGEROUS wire was suspended across a popular mountain biking track through Leigh woodland.

Cyclists say they are “disgusted” after the thin wire was found at the Adalia Crescent entrance to Belfairs Wood yesterday **Aug 10** morning by Hadleigh Mountain Biking Club member David Murray.

The club’s chairman Chris Hyde, from Leigh, said: “It goes without saying it’s utterly disgusting behaviour and dangerous to anyone who uses the woods.

“The height of it looks to be about the level of a six or seven-year-old’s neck while riding a bike, but this would have been dangerous to anyone cycling down there, or even the horse riders that use the woods.

“It’s beyond unthinkable that anyone could do that.”

Richard Toomey of the Comfy Saddle, based at Southend Railway Station, said he had cycled in the woods yesterday afternoon and was very concerned.

He said: “You would hope that you’d see something like that but who’s to say with a piece of wire?

“I can only hope that this was the work of some children who will change course when they realise what they’ve done.

“Thankfully the cycling community is very strong in Southend and I think people will keep an eye out, as will dog walkers and others, to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Belfairs councillor Stephen Aylen added he would contact the council’s parks department regarding the incident.

He said: “I know there are some people who are fed up the paths being used by motorbikes, quadbikes and some mountain bikers who come down there at speed, but this is not the way to deal with it.

“I’m very worried that this has happened because it could easily kill someone and you have children cycling down there.”