Transport bosses have condemned a ‘dangerous’ cyclist who was caught on camera hitching a ride on a Manchester tram.

Video footage shows the unidentified man cycling along Droylsden Road towards Ashton-under-Lyne .

The clip – which is being filmed by a passenger on a Metrolink service – then shows the moment the biker grabs onto the moving vehicle.At first the tram moves fairly slowly as it starts to accelerate with the cyclist moving with it.

And then as it gathers speed the clip shows the cyclist travelling faster and faster while using one hand to keep hold of it.

Incredibly, the foolhardy hanger-on then nonchalantly looks behind him as he travels at speed alongside the service. Cars parked along the side of the road are also seen to pass dangerously close to the traveller.

Eventually, after more than a minute of hanging on to the moving tram and travelling almost a mile, the cyclist unhitches himself and pedals off.During his journey the person filming – who appears to have seen the man do the same thing before – can be heard commenting on the reckless stunt he is watching.

He labels the ‘tram rider’ a ‘madman’.‘I’m stunned’, he then adds.

And after the footage was shared with Transport for Greater Manchester , Metrolink Director Peter Cushing said: