RECKLESS drivers have torn up a grass bank next to a car park in the Malvern Hills.

The Malvern Hills Trust said the incident was 'very disappointing' and police officers warned that the drivers had endangered other motorists.

A member of the public told the trust they saw two vehicles driving over the mound between Earnslaw Quarry car park and the B4218 Wyche Road, in Malvern, at around midnight on Friday, February 2.

A spokesman for the trust said: "The number of tracks left suggests that this was done multiple times.

"It is really disappointing to see that some individuals would wish to cause damage to property and also put themselves and others at risk on a winding and narrow main road.

"The report is of two vehicles driving over the grassy bank from the upper section of Earnslaw car park directly onto the Wyche Road.

"It looked like it was done for the fun and the challenge.

"We are working with the police to try and identify the individuals involved."

The trust, which owns the land, said it would take around half a day to fix the bank and cost no more than £200.

However the spokesman emphasised that the trust was more frustrated at the behaviour of the offenders than the cost of repairs.

Malvern police officers tweeted: "This is next to a busy road just before a bend and it's hard to believe the individuals concerned didn't cause an accident."

The Malvern Cops tweet said the incident was unacceptable and showed a lack of respect.

PC Susan Parr, of Malvern Hills Safer Neighbourhood Team, added: "From the direction of the ruts, they would’ve approached the bank at a right angle.

"Thereby being in the carriageway while they were trying to get up it, or potentially losing control of their vehicle by sliding back down due to the wet, muddy surface.

"Anyone travelling down the road, coming round the bend, is unlikely to have sufficient time to stop. The anti-social behaviour is basically due to the manner in which they’ve driven their vehicles up the grass bank."

Cllr Cynthia Palmer, Malvern's Mayor, said: "The hills are the town's asset, we should all take care to keep them in good condition.

"Recklessness like this should not be tolerated. We shouldn't have this. It's fairly rare that we get criminal damage like that on the common or the hills.

"These were motorised vehicles, that's very rare. There's also damage done by mountain bikes going off-road, you can see the tracks.

"It's not wanted in this town."

A local resident also reported that there were similar markings on a grass verge next to the Old Wyche Road.

They said the marks appeared around the start of the month.

Police have not yet arrested anyone in relation to the damage.

Anyone with information about the incident can ring 101 quoting incident number 0441s of February 4.

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