A FIVE inch cut to the shin brought an experienced cyclist’s ride to a halt as he says a ‘booby-trap’ had been planted by so-called trail saboteurs in the Forest.

Cinderford man Mark Adams rode around a bend between Plump Hill at Mitcheldean and Heywood Woods, near Woodgate Road, when he swerved a large ‘boulder’ in the middle of the track.

He said: “The boulder – or rock – had been strategically positioned as a booby trap to harm a cyclist. Unfortunately that cyclist was me. I swerved it but in doing so clipped the back of my bike and was thrown off.

“Luckily I was wearing a helmet and body armour but my leg became caught underneath the bike and the chain ring cut through my shin. I was alone at the time and managed to get home. My wife took me up to the Dilke and I had nine stitches. It was awful.

“My fear is it could have been a lot worse especially if a cyclist, who is familiar with a trail, was going fast down hill and fell foul of an intentionally-placed obstacle. It’s not uncommon for logs and branches to be in the middle of tracks. I think the people behind this are against cyclists using tracks alongside walkers, which is a great shame as there are a lot of riders, including myself, who are sensible and courteous to others.”

The 39-year-old added: “Fortunately I can fix my bike. I just want other cyclists to take extra care when out riding their bikes in the woods. There appears to be people who are dead set on causing harm to other trail users.”

The Forestry Commission says they aren’t aware of any incidents whereby trail saboteurs have intentionally created a potentially dangerous obstacle to harm cyclists.