'It could have caused a serious accident' say cycling club targeted by thumb tacks on road

A group of cyclists were targeted by a motorist who scattered thumb tacks in front of them whilst they were out on a ride.

Members of St John's Cycling Club in Worcester reported that people inside a silver BMW threw tacks out of the car on the road where the cyclists would ride over them. One member said almost everyone in the group punctured with some experiencing double-punctures.

"I picked six pins out of my front tyre and five out of the rear," member Andy Turner posted on the club's Facebook group. "Then the perpetrators drove past and filmed us but we were at least able to confirm their [car's] registration number and get a brief look at them.

"One can only wonder why these sad individuals would want to do something like this. Let's hope the police can track them down because they need to be stopped."

Another member who was out riding on the morning of June 2 when the incident took place, Paul Sobczyk, told Worcester News that it was deeply concerning, and there was "the potential for a serious accident. It was obviously premeditated and planned, they were driving round looking for cyclists."

The police are investigating the incident, which follows follows reports of cyclists being targeted across the country.

Riders were also targeted at this year's Velo event in Warwickshire, where in unrelated incidents a 59-year-old man died and an impatient driver sped across a roundabout as cyclists were passing through in the mass-participation ride.

In 2017, Police appealed for information after tacks caused hundreds of punctures at a Scottish sportive, with saboteurs also throwing drawing pins on the road where a Surrey charity ride was taking place.

At the Tour de France in 2012, when the peloton climbed the Mur de Péguère, more than 30 riders suffered punctures, including defending champion Cadel Evans, after tacks were put in the road near the summit.