A mother from Shaw has warned people after a rope was found tied between trees at a bike riding hotspot. 

Sarah, who wishes to be referred to only by her first name, wants others to be cautious after the incident. 

Her 14-year-old son had gone out with his friend, riding mountain bikes on the jumps built at Tandle Hill Park on July 16. 

The teenager noticed a rope tied between two trees after he rode over a slack section of it that was on the ground. As he did, he heard the clip attaching it to the tree snap off and bang against it. 

He and his friend quickly removed the rope to avoid anyone injuring themselves and searched the rest of the area for any other such traps. 

Sarah said: "He was a bit shaken up about it.

"When they actually looked at it, if him and his friend had jumped it they'd have been taken off at the chest.

"He also has a younger brother who's gone bike riding - not on his own of course - but if he'd have done it, it would have hit him on his neck.

"I don't think these people that are doing it are thinking of the consequences of what could happen."

The rope was tied at a jump point, meaning bike riders may have been travelling at speed when caught by it, had Sarah's son and his friend not removed it.

She added: "I do get that not everyone likes bikes riding around but they're really respectful lads and they're just busy entertaining themselves, they're not doing anything wrong and I think this shook them both up a little bit."

The 39-year-old said that after they had checked the area and other places they ride their bikes, her son went to his grandmother's house, who also said she thought the incident had scared him.

Sarah said: "It's scary to think what could have happened and he is at an age where he understands that.

"He's notified some of his friends and I've been in touch with other mums but we just want to get awareness out there."

Incidents like this can cause serious injury, as seen in a previous case from 2006 in Accrington, where a 13-year-old boy was garrotted by a wire having been tied in the same way.

In that incident, the young boy was left unconscious and bleeding heavily from his neck but this case involved a nylon dog lead, rather than rope.