Warning to cyclists after barbed wire strung across path between Sawston and Stapleford
A Sawston resident has warned cyclists to beware after barbed wire was placed across a cycle path.
Jayne Merrick had to replace both tyres and their inner tubes after falling foul of the single strand on the path between Stapleford and Sawston.
Luckily, the barbed wire was not at head height otherwise a cyclist might have suffered a serious injury.
Jayne said: “To anybody who uses the cycle path between Stapleford and Sawston, please be careful.
“Somebody left barbed wire right across the cycle path, not as a roll of barbed wire but as a long wire across the width of the path.
“This means we have to replace two bicycle tyres and inner tubes as the wire wrapped itself around the wheels.
“If long trousers had not been worn there would have been some nasty cuts. Coming from Stapleford, this couldn’t be seen until right upon it.
“It has been reported. They [police] don’t think they will be able to do anything as there are no cameras etc around the path to catch the culprits.”
The incident was reported to police, who believe children were to blame.
The wire has since been removed.
The actions were condemned by local residents.
Cambridge woman Helen Barton added: “It’s disgusting. I use that path every day. Stupid people if they think this is some kind of prank.
Fellow Cambridge resident Annette Whittaker could not believe the reasons behind the actions.
She said: “Why on earth would anyone do this sort of thing? It’s so very sad.”
It is not the first incident of its type in Cambridgeshire over the last few years.
Last year, 42-year-old Gary Seddon was riding along a cycle path in the region with his two-year-old son when he was hit by electric flex wire which was fixed at head height.
The incident was slammed at the time as a ‘criminal act’ by Robin Heydon of the Cambridge Cycling Campaign.
And there have been similar incidents in other parts of the country. Barbed wire boobytraps have been discovered in Kent and Wales in recent years.
The wire is often placed at neck height and could decapitate the rider.