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A bike rider has become the latest victim of a gang of 'cut-throats' who string deadly wires at neck height across woodland cycle tracks.

Darren Gibson, 49, suffered a broken collarbone when he was sent flying off his bike when he hit a tripwire stretched across a path through the woods near East Brighton Golf Club.

Earlier this month Sussex Police said they were investigating reports that at least two bike riders had been hurt after hitting tripwires across paths at Coldean Woods on the other side of Brighton.

Dad-of-two Darren, of De Montfort Road, Brighton, said he was injured as he rode through woods near the golf course at 1pm Saturday.

He said there was no way he could have seen the wire before he rode into it.

(Image: Wessex New Agency)

"Sadly, even if you were going slowly you wouldn't have seen it.

"You're talking about a thin wire, there's nothing else to see - that's the worrying thing.

"We had gone up by the racecourse then cycled along the top and down by the golf course, where there's a path which goes to Rottingdean.

"It's quite a steep, wide path and normally you can go quite fast.

"I was with my brother and a friend and I was going very fast and suddenly felt my foot being dragged.

"I knew that there was something trying to hold me back but there was no way I could hold back because I was going too fast.

"I knew I was coming off so I went into a roll as I went over the handlebars and landing on my shoulder.

"There was a very large fence post with wire attached which had been dragged from one side of the path to the other so the wire was about two feet in the air.

"I've broken my collarbone, I've got bruised ribs, and my shoulder joints have been smashed about.

"A physiotherapist did some work and he reckons I shouldn't have any long term damage but it will be five to six weeks before I do any weight bearing stuff.

"The police are clearly very concerned as they've rung me several times.

"There's no way that post could have been there on its own.

"I'm not saying it's definitely malicious. It could have been kids.

"But in the light of the other incidents you begin to wonder. I'll probably never know.

"I'm not going to stop cycling but it does mean that when you going down path you can't just be careful because there's just no way you're ever going to see it, even if you're going slowly.

"I don't know how I'm going to feel about it until I go out there."

(Image: Wessex New Agency)

Cycling fan Mark Strong, of Brighton, who's a consultant with Transport Initiatives, believes the culprits are 'vigilantes' trying to deter people including children from pedalling through the woods.

"This is just too depressing. I have feeling this is not 'just kids' but someone with a real grudge against people on bikes" he said.

"I suspect this is a person or people wound up by anti cycling biased pieces on radio, for example the BBC Radio 4 You & Yours feature a few weeks ago, and in print.

"Tripwires can be fatal, it is conspiracy to murder.

"There is no justification for it, especially with the children. This is at the thin end of a wedge of anti-cycling sentiment."

Police said at least six wires had been strung across paths in Coldean Woods recently, and riders would not see them in time.

Sgt Alison Penny, of the East Brighton Neighbourhood Policing Team, said "These wires appear to have been deliberately placed across paths.

"There is a real risk that someone could run into them and suffer serious injury as a result.

"It is an extremely foolhardy thing to do and those responsible can expect to be dealt with robustly. Extra patrols are on the look-out for offenders.

"Meanwhile, I would urge people using the woods to take care and also to report any suspicious behaviour without delay."

Becky Reynolds, campaigns officer of local group Bricycles, said "It could lead to fatal injury particularly if it catches the cyclist at neck height.

"This has happened occasionally in the past but the police usually take a firm line."

Police and Brighton and Hove City Council rangers are searching for more hidden wires and extra patrols have been ordered.