A wildlife charity has released an urgent plea to bike riders, urging them to stop riding on Kenilworth Common.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust have been working with Warwick District Council and local law enforcement teams to protect the "vital habitats" inside the nature reserve which are being "routinely" damaged.

In particular, the trust has said the common is a safe space for the "elusive" glow-worm.

Bike riding through the reserve is said to be "disastrous for the glow-worms and the other wildlife living" there.

"What was once an area filled with wildlife is now a barren, dusty area of bare earth with no ground vegetation to support the creatures that once lived there, including nesting birds, woodland flowers, invertebrates and of course, the elusive glow-worms," a public statement said.

"Bike tracks have been built and used throughout the nature reserve, trees have been removed to create jumps, and fences and newly planted trees have been ripped out.

"These acts of vandalism have been carried out without a care for the wildlife who live in the nature reserve and at a great cost to the charity and the council who are desperately trying to protect the area."

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is asking people to consider other, more appropriate locations for bikes and to not use a designated nature reserve.

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Karl Curtis, director of nature reserves at Warwickshire Wildlife Trust said: "Kenilworth Common is a unique place for people and wildlife and has a long history of local use dating back to when it was assigned a "common" in 1796.

"Since then, it has become a wild space for our local and rare wildlife to thrive, but with less green spaces and more people, humans are having a negative impact.

"The local glow worm population, not in fact a worm but a beetle, are under threat from the pressure of people accessing areas that we need to keep safe for nature, particularly by bikes.

"We want Kenilworth Common to remain rich in nature and a stronghold for the glow worms, but that won't happen if we don't share the space respectfully with nature.

"So please do stick to the paths and avoid damaging activities."

The council and charity are asking should anyone witness any off-road bikes, mountain or BMX bikes in the nature reserve, or any anti-social behaviour, to report this to the police using either 101 or online here.