Landslip leaves key route to M4 in Wiltshire in such bad condition it's being used as a BMX track

Part of the road has sunk into the soil below the cracked surface Credit: PA Images

A BMX rider has been photographed jumping over gaps in a Wiltshire road which has been closed after a landslide.

Part of the B4069 - a main route to the M4 - has been closed between Dauntsey Lock and Lyneham since February due to subsidence.

Police say the road is "impassable" but despite numerous signs advising its closure, some road users are continuing to use it.

Huge amounts of wet soil shifted underneath the road, cracking its surface. This has meant part of the road has sunk into the soil below.

Now BMX riders have been pictured using the road - which is still moving and changing shape - as a bike track.

Skateboard stickers have also been added to warning signs put up around the road closure.

The road is still moving and changing shape, which means work to repair it cannot be carried out Credit: PA

Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for transport Cllr Mark McClelland said people should not expect the road to reopen this year, due to the scale of the damage.

"The B4069 has been closed for safety reasons due to the subsidence," he said.

He said the road is still moving which means it is unsafe for any plant machinery to be on site.

Cllr McClelland added: “We are currently undertaking geotechnical investigations and surveys to establish the cause of the landslip. The results of which will help to formulate a work plan to remedy the B4069 to a useable state.

“Due to the scale and nature of the issue, this will be a long-term project with significant costs involved, and people should not expect the road to reopen this year.”

The council says it does not expect the road to be re-opened this year Credit: PA

Despite the condition of the road, Wiltshire Police says some motorists are ignoring the closure.

"Unfortunately some drivers are ignoring the closure at the bottom of the hill and driving up the banks," said a spokesperson for the local policing team.

"This could put the council workers who are working on the road in danger.

"You can see from the photos the road is not passable at all. Please do not ignore the closure thinking it doesn’t apply to you."

They added Wiltshire Council is working on some longer-term signage indicating the roadworks which they hope will be in place shortly.