Home-made metal SPIKES are being left on a path near a golf club
Large home-made metal spikes are being deliberately left on a path, putting lives at risk.
Workers at Luddington Golf, which is working to extend Stafford Castle Golf Club from nine holes to 18, have been finding the home-made spikes, welded in place by two pieces of metal, on a path at the back of its land off the A518 Newport Road, near Stafford Castle. The path is used by lorries and dog walkers.
The two-and-a-half inch long nails are being hidden from plain view using a variety of objects, including rubbish from the building site.
Bob Kensey, 59, a director at Luddington Golf, has warned the nails could cause a catastrophic accident with the site located so close to the M6.
He explained: "Our machinery has steel tracks so it does not affect us but if a lorry uses the path and loses control because of one of these spikes puncturing its tyres it would career down the bank and you would not be able to stop it. I
"t could end up on the M6 which would be quite serious. Also what about a dog if one of those spikes went through its paw?"
Mr Kensey, who is normally based down in Surrey but is up in Stafford to oversee the golf club expansion works, added: "It is quite extensive really. It is always the same thing, two pieces of metal welded together with a nail in the middle. We have been having this for the past few weeks, maybe even two months.
"The spikes are engineered, it is not someone just going out buying a handful of nails or tacks and throwing them around. This is someone sat at home welding the metal together.
"We are building a golf course, it is not something environmentally sensitive so I have no idea why we are being targeted.
"These are not small nails, it is very serious stuff. They are about two-and-a-half inches long and someone is making them deliberately. They are risking peoples lives."
Asked about how he and his team first found the spikes, Mr Kensey said: "One day one lorry had two nails in it, then another came past with a nail in it followed by a third lorry. Lorries get punctures but we knew something was not right."
Staffordshire Police has confirmed it is investigating the home-made spikes after a report last week.
A spokesman said: "We received a report around 10:30am on Wednesday August 23 of two lorries that have suffered punctures due to home-made metal spikes being placed on the route from the main road to the new Stafford Castle Golf Club development.
"We are investigating and working with the golf club to catch those responsible. If anyone knows anything about this, please contact 101 quoting incident number 214 of August 23 or for guaranteed anonymity call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
At least half a dozen spikes have been uncovered so far.
