SPOTY unsung hero award for bike park founder

Hannah Escott has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year unsung hero award for the West Midlands

The founder of a woodland bike park has been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year unsung hero for the West Midlands.

Hannah Escott, who runs Burlish Bike Park, took on the patch of woodland near Stourport-on-Severn after it was threatened with being bulldozed.

It had been informally used by generations of local children for more than three decades, she said.

One parent said her sons’ dreams had come true as a result of Ms Escott’s work.

The bike park was threatened with being bulldozed before Ms Escott took it on

'Dream bike park'

Gemma Williams said: “She’s taken on a piece of woodland, that was going to be taken away from my boys, and made it into their dream bike park.”

Ms Escott initially hoped she would be able to attract 1,000 riders to the facility in the first year, but has far exceeded this target.

Since opening in July it has already seen more than 2,500 riders – and Ms Escott’s guidance has even helped some youngsters go on to win cycling competitions.

Ms Escott hopes the bike park will become a wellbeing destination

The bike park caters for novices too, and this includes sessions for those just starting to learn to ride a bike.

Local police officers credit the facility with keeping kids off the street and a decline in levels of anti-social behaviour.

There are also ambitions for other projects which will make the most of the woodland’s full potential to benefit mental health and wellbeing.