Much loved Gunnersbury Park bike trail under threat

Beth Hales, 42, whose son was ranked number eight during the 90s, said: "Some people may find the riders a nuisance, but in fact many are serious sportsman.

"The older riders inspire younger ones, they are keeping fit and taking part in a sport at a time when there is pressure to get kids active; surely this is a golden facility that should be preserved and not sold off for housing so more young people can sit in front of games consoles.

"The building of the jumps and paths are not only sheer hard work but take a degree of engineering and physics that requires a persistence which kids can't get at ready made skate parks.

"Once children are too old for the playground, there is so little for them to do in the park and these young people have shaped a small area into what they need with no Council backing, no funding and no youth worker, and yet what they have produced and the way they work together is an inspiration."

One of the riders, Ivan Adams, said "I have done some of the maintenance on the trails but whoever rides the trails also helps to keep them up and running.

"I really hope we can save the trails as I want to race downhill mountain biking for a living and that's the only bit of training ground I have close by.

"I can get there after work and train for a few hours and without Gunnersbury Park bike trail, I would have to travel for an hour on an overland train to Bracknell and that's just not possible to do that everyday."

To contact the campaign group and share your stories with 'Save Trees In Gunnersbury', STIG, call 07719 387 106 or visit http://www.stiglondon.co.uk