Flowers in a bluebell wood are being destroyed by quad-bikers.The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to pick, uproot or destroy the English bluebell.

Flowers in a bluebell wood are being destroyed by quad-bikers.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to pick, uproot or destroy the English bluebell.

But in Runton Poor Wood, near Holt, many of the flowers have been crushed under the tyres of quad bikes.

Dr Martin Jolliffe said: “It's a lovely wood and those plants are protected.

“Yet quad-bikers are repeatedly thoughtlessly riding through and killing the vegetation.”

The town had the same problem two years ago, and after the police stepped up their presence in the area last October, the activity stopped.

But several weeks ago the quad-bikers returned to the popular wood and have already destroyed a large number of the bluebells that had recently sprung up.

Holt Town Council has asked the police for help.

In one letter of complaint to the council and police, the situation is described as “nothing short of an ecological disaster”.

But despite all the concern it is proving difficult to catch the culprits.

The police are aware of the situation and are now making routine checks on the woods and residents are keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.