Cyclists have handed over a petition calling for a popular cycle route in Colchester to be reopened.

A stretch of the Sustrans national cycle route off East Street has been closed by owners Wesleyvale Limited and a security guard is there 24 hours a day.

It means a break in the national route and the North Sea cycle route, which passes through seven countries and is 7,500 miles long.

Colchester Cycling Campaign wants to see the 40-yard stretch reopened and a truce arranged between Colchester Council and Wesleyvale.

In their petition, which they handed to town MP Bob Russell campaigners say: "There is no moral justification in taking away the freedom of individual cyclists and pedestrians to continue using the path as they have for a number of years."

The group's chairman Peter Speller said the path along the river between Castle Park and East Street is used by 100,000 cyclists and pedestrians a year.

Mr Speller said he had met cyclists who had come from the Netherlands and could not understand why the stretch of cycle route had been fenced off.

Michael Wright from solicitors Holmes and Hills of Bocking End, Braintree, acting for Wesleyvale, issued a statement saying: "The land in question belongs to our client and there are no public rights of way over it.

"The cycle path was unlawfully constructed on our client's land by the council without the knowledge or consent of our client.

"Proposals have been made to the council that would, if accepted, have led to the temporary removal of the fencing. The proposals were not acceptable and the fencing will remain."

Barry Layzell, Colchester Council's head of highways and engineering services, said the council was in contact with the landowner's solicitors and trying to reach an amicable solution.

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