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news
Salisbury Plain barbed wire trap (Facebook)Police warn of 14-year-old cyclist's lucky escape after riding into barbed wire trap that "could have killed" him
Police and the mother of a 14-year-old boy have warned the public to remain "vigilant" after the teenager rode into a barbed wire trap strung between two trees.
The incident happened on Wednesday at Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire, on Military of Defence land which does not have public right of way, and saw the boy ride into the barbed wire at speed, ducking at the last second so it avoided his neck and instead struck his full-face helmet.
His mother shared the warning on social media, saying her son had a "really horrible experience" and urged horse riders and mountain bikers to "be careful".
"Someone had strung a length of barbed wire across two trees, just off the main track," she said. "It caught him on his full face helmet and thankfully he ducked or it would have been across his throat, he wasn't going slowly either."
In a later update it was explained how she had been contacted by the MoD who said the incident would be taken "extremely seriously" and an investigation would be launched.
The Warminster Community Policing Team also contacted the family, reporting that "thankfully he did not sustain any serious injuries". Officers then checked the area and said they had not found "other similar entanglements".
"There are many tracks in this area so we are asking that riders and walkers alike to please be vigilant," a force spokesperson said. "If you are out walking or riding please stick to the byways and marked public rights of way.
"The Ministry of Defence are aware of this incident and we would like to remind the public that this area is Ministry of Defence Land and is actively used. Whilst the military make an effort to clear up following their training exercises some ordnance can be missed and these areas are inherently dangerous. Any bike ramps located in these areas will be removed by the MoD.
"If you have any information regarding the incident please contact Wiltshire Police on 101 quoting reference 54230073262."
The boy's mother added: "This morning I met with a very nice police officer and very nice chap from the MoD. They located the barbed wire and have taken pictures of the area, it is being taken extremely seriously and they will be starting an investigation.
"If you have any further information or see anything similar please contact 101 or Range Ops. As discussed with the police if my son hadn't been wearing his full face it would have gone across his face, eyes or mouth. He hasn't worn that helmet in months so someone must have been looking out for him.
"Please stay safe and vigilant, this has been classed as assault and intent to harm so not to be taken lightly."
The boy's lucky escape is only emphasised when looking back at similar incidents that have been reported up and down the UK over the past few years.
Two years ago a South Wales mountain biker suffered around a dozen lacerations across his throat after a barbed wire trap was strung across a path in Rhondda Cynon Taf, prompting warnings to other bike riders to be careful.
The rider needed 17 stitches, the 39-year-old victim's wife saying at the time that she is grateful "not to be planning a funeral right now" as her husband was treated by specialist doctors.
Pictures of barbed wire strung across a path near Crewe were also widely shared on social media back in 2017, one local cyclist posting it with the caption: 'They don't like us bikers up here!'
That sighting came a year after a spate of incidents in 2016, one of which saw a South Wales mountain biker say they had been "almost beheaded" by barbed wire across a trail [below].
Police also investigated a similar trap in Kent, the local cyclist who found the trap [below], saying he "never would have stood a chance" if he'd approached the wire coming downhill rather than on the ascent.
Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.
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15 comments
Councils invest a lot of cash in motion camera tech, so as to get fly tippers into court. It's time we saw some action getting these sadistic fuckwits and their facial profiles so that we may shame and hopefully name these chunts. They often repeat in hotspots.
Scumbags.
Much as I agree with McT below that a bit more effort needs to go into catching the people who don't see anything wrong with stringing barbed wire up between trees like this, I can't help but think that this particular incident is a bit more grey area if the land is not actually public access / PROW and has signs up saying "Military - authorised people only or else!"...
Agreed - this particular incident would appear to be soldiers not taking their toys home, rather than a malicious act.
The other incident in Rhondda, however, are indeed an attempt to do serious harm to cyclists.
It is a genuine fear of mine - some hooligan stringing up fishing/piano wire between trees/posts. Hadn't even considered barbed wire.
I think that's over-egging the pudding and very charitable. That statement is MoD lawyer speak for - you have no right to be here, if you stumble across something nasty and it hurts you, you can't sue us even if it is our fault. They also specifically state "ordnance" - i.e. something that goes or has gone, boom - not barbed wire at head height, which seems like an odd part of a military training exercise.
I am aware that it was a long time ago - 30 or so years - but I can't remember *ever* stringing barbed wire at neck height.
I know that there are some Rodney's that like to add a degree of *keen realism* to an exercise, but even they fear a Courts Martial for attempting to decapitate one of our own soldiers.
While not completely ruling it out, I would be very surprised if it was the remains of an authorised anti-personnel trap.
We've learnt over the years that not killing the men during training leaves us in a *slightly* stronger position against the enemy.
Fair point!
Twice today I have been told I have been very generous with my assessment of comments. I will have a quiet word with myself tonight and come back more cynical tomorrow. Probably.
Why is he not authorised?
Because the land belongs to the Ministry of Defence and if you are not someone authorised to be on MoD property you shouldn't be riding your mountain bike there.
Unless it was put up by a soldier, the person putting up the trap also should not have been on the land.
Also, the last time I checked, decapitation is not the official punishment for cycling on MoD land.
Even on private land you're not allowed to set man-traps.
I think this sort of thing is frowned upon, even with the warning sign!
I don't see how that makes it a grey area at all. The response from the MOD and Police seems to make it very clear that the trap wasn't anything to do with them. It's something done by a sociopathic nimby who has decided to attempt to seriously injure or kill someone. That's pretty black and white in my book.
All I meant was that the injured child wasn't supposed to be in those woods in the first place. Not just mildly discouraged - its MoD land, and they actively say, "Oi! You! NO!".
(Tell you what, if a sociopathic NIMBY had managed to injure a serving military person with their barned wire then I think there'd have been hell to pay...).
If the intent was to injure then the rest of the details about whose land it is are irrelevant.
They just need to catch some of the people doing this and bring them up for attempted murder. Thats basically what it is. Barbed wire is horrible stuff so stringing it at neck height only has one intention. To seriously seriously hurt someone.
Fully Agree with this.
"I have been made to feel a bit scared by a speedy cyclist so I will try to kill them" is not an attitude which should be allowed to live within our society, these people should face the full weight of attempted murder charges.