Rob Ainsley
The odd formation was caused by clay heave, according to the council, which can happen after significant rainfall
Repairs have been made after a strange ridge appeared on a cycle path thanks to a structural quirk.
Dubbed the “New Earswick snake” and “Bootham Stray sausage”, the sinuous surface caused cyclists to fall from their bikes.
York Cycle Campaign member Rob Ainsley said he had “never seen anything quite like it” and reported it to York City Council due to the danger it had been posing over the weekend.
The authority said the issue had been caused by clay heave, which can occur when there has been significant rainfall, and confirmed the problem had now been fixed.
Mr Ainsley said: “In summer, all the ground dried out and there was a huge crack running the length of the path, which was actually very dangerous in itself.
“It was a couple of inches wide and your tyre could easily go down there.
“The council filled it in, problem solved, but of course with all the recent wet weather, the ground on either side has expanded.
“Those two blocks have moved together and they’ve squashed all the filling out, so you get this bizarre 50m (164ft) long thing that looks like a snake or a black pudding or something.”
Rob Ainsley
Rob Ainsley says other cyclists came off their bikes due to the “Bootham Stray sausage”
While taking photos of the ridge, Mr Ainsley said a cyclist had stopped to say he had been thrown off his bike the night before due to bumping into it.
“That path is unlit, if you come off on that hard path in the dark you could really do yourself a mischief and break some bones,” he added.
“I mean it would be funny except it’s quite dangerous.”