ANGRY residents have promised to fight plans for a BMX bike track to be built inside an ancient wood, amid fears it would destroy wildlife and encourage loutish behaviour.

Councillors provisionally agreed to create the free ride dirt jump track, in West Wood, to give youngsters in Hadleigh and Thundersley somewhere to ride their bikes.

However, residents and nature groups believe choosing such a site could jeopardise wildlife living in the woodland, located off Rayleigh Road, Thundersley, and create a den for antisocial behaviour.

Neal Warren, of Rayleigh Road, said: "We fully understand the need for things like a track to keep youngsters off the streets.

"We are not against having the track, but about putting it in the wood.

"It is a 200-year-old woodland, and it seems ludicrous to everybody to build it there.

"We want an open public meeting to discuss this, and put forward other options."

One alternative location, he said, could be the grass area behind Runnymede swimming pool.

Paul Shuttleworth, of Westwood Gardens, added: "There is already a contingent of young people who use the woods at night for underage drinking and drug taking." According to initial plans, two soil mounds would be created for youngsters to practise bike stunts, on a 50 metre square area of woodland.

However, residents are also concerned emergency vehicles would have difficulty reaching the site in the event of an accident.

Mr Shuttleworth added: "The recently reported event concerning a young cyclist on Canvey, who impaled his leg on his bicycle handlebars, shows that dangerous accidents can and do occur. If that happens, urgent medical assistance is vital."

Ray Howard, chairman of Castle Point Council's environment committee, stressed the plans were still subject to consultation.

He said: "My committee agreed to have further discussions on this, and if consultation shows residents are against this, then so be it.

"We have not made any final decision on this yet."