York cyclist needed surgery after tree branch placed on cycle track

A cyclist in York had to undergo what police described as “extensive surgery” on a broken elbow after he crashed due to a large tree branch being placed across a cycle track.

North Yorkshire Police have launched an appeal following the incident, which happened earlier this month in the Tang Hall district of the city.

Officers want to trace a group of youths who were seen fleeing the scene, as well as a cyclist who came to the aid of the rider following the crash, which took place at around 8.20pm on Tuesday 12 March.

Police say that the cyclist had spotted a group of youths shortly before riding into a large branch that had been placed across the cycle track.

“This caused him to fall off his bike resulting in a broken elbow that required extensive surgery,” a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said.

“We’d like to hear from people who witnessed the collision, have information about the youths that fled or from the woman cyclist who helped him home.”

Anyone with information is requested to contact police on the non-emergency number 101, or by email to skye.crook [at] northyorkshire.police.uk quoting reference 12240044962.

We’ve reported on many instances here on road.cc of cyclists being targeted through branches and other objects being placed across cycle tracks and trails, as well as wire being stretched across them at head height.

Last September, one cyclist who had been riding on a popular trail in Berkshire told us that he was lucky to have spotted a trap made from brambles and rope in time enough to avoid crashing into it.

> “Luckily I saw it in time”: Cyclist narrowly avoids rope and bramble trap on popular bridleway

Earlier last year, police in Staffordshire issued a warning to cyclists to be vigilant after wire was found stretched across a trail at Cannock Chase, a popular venue for off-road riding.

> Police issue warning after cyclist finds wire tied across forest trail

Besides branches and wire, we have also reported on drawing pins and tacks being scattered across cycle tracks, including a spate of such incidents on Cycleway 4 in south eats London earlier this year.

> South London cycleway repeatedly targeted with drawing pins