DANGEROUS bikers who used a park as a cut through will be thwarted by a new gate, a councillor has vowed.

Off road motorbike riders have been using Jubilee Park, in Parkeston, as a route to Morrisons in Iconfield Park.

Concerned councillors claimed the yobs were riding bikes at between 45mph and 50mph.

The reckless journeys had sparked fears for children using the park.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Cut-through - the Morrisons supermarketCut-through - the Morrisons supermarket (Image: Google)

As a result Ramsey and Parkeston Parish Council worked with Tendring Council and alterations were made to the gate to Jubilee Park at the end of Garland Road.

'We needed to stop serious incidents'

The parish council had approached Tendring Council for ideas on how to slow down motorbike riding through the park to avoid incidents as well as to reply to concerns raised by residents, who were unable to enter the park.

It is hoped the new kissing gate will prevent any bikers from being able to access the park.

The old gate, with a single bollard, made it possible for motorbike riders to drive through the park at high speeds, posing an imminent risk for visitors of the park.

Bill Davidson, chairman of Ramsey and Parkeston Parish Council, said: "The new kissing gate had to be put there to stop bikes going through the park with high speed.

"Those were offroad bikes going between 45 to 50 mph. We needed to avoid serious incidents with those who use the park as a cutaway to Morrisons."

The new gate has been made wider to offer better accessibility to buggies, bikes and mobility scooters, as well as force bike riders to take off through the more u-shaped entrance.