Anger over nails dumped on footpath

MORE than 100 sharp roofing nails were left scattered on a popular Nuneaton footpath just waiting to be stepped on by innocent walkers and horse-riders alike.

Had they not spotted the 141 nails, staff at Caldecote Riding School and their beloved animals would have walked through them, causing definite injury.

Angry Sandy Sandon, who runs the riding school in Caldecote Lane, said: “This was a deliberate attack.

“They were spread about four to five metres wide on the path, which is used not by just us, it is really popular with walkers too. Had children gone up there this morning to fetch the horses, they would have definitely walked on them.

“They (the culprits) have targeted everyone who uses the path. They could have really hurt someone.”

She personally handpicked all 141 nails from the mud, each of them with 1cm wide head and around 2cm long. “They (the nails) quite easily sit upside down, they were at all angles, and if anyone had walked on them, it would have caused serious harm,” she said.

“If this was a personal attack on me, they would have put them in the field, but they have been put on the path, so that anyone could walk on them.”

She added: “We have had bits and bobs of vandalism before and have been broken into but nothing like this, they could have hurt so many people.”

“We want to warn people about this and to urge them that if they have seen or see anything suspicious in the area in the future to call the police.”

Police investigations are now underway and anyone with any information should call 101, quoting incident number 131 of January 31.

Details can also be passed on to officers via the Crimestoppers hotline, which is free to call from a landline and confidential, on 0800 555 111.