A group of Amman Valley residents have launched a petition calling on the county council to bring a disused bike track back to life.

Cwmaman BMX Track just off the riverside walk in Glanaman has been a part of the community for decades. However, over recent years it has fallen into a state of disrepair and is now faced with demolition.

The online petition, which has already received almost 200 signatures, is calling on Carmarthenshire county council to allow community volunteers to take control of the track.

The community volunteer group, led by Garnant dad Ben Jones, is ready to clear, restore and develop the track by working with local traders, Cwmaman town council and the county council.

Ben said: "I spent most of my childhood out on my BMX and had a real love of outdoor pursuits. When I was younger the track was used a lot by local residents and those from neighbouring communities. It was well maintained, challenging, exciting and provided a great way for children and young people to take safe risks and stay healthy. That track was, and made, my childhood.

"I wasn't interested in rugby, football, cricket or any of the traditional sports that are really well catered for across the communities around us. As a result I turned to BMX riding and went on to be very good and compete."

Cwmaman town council development officer Rob Venus has lent his support to the idea and says he believes the interest in extreme sports is on the rise and the community is in need of a facility for young people who are interested in BMX riding to develop further.

Says Rob: "The community council is happy to support the public in their efforts to bring the track back to use. The cost is minimal for the county council and I believe with the support of the county council we can work together and provide something that will benefit the whole community.

"There are massive health benefits to getting outdoors for both the young and old. Families could come together and socialise which is great for young parents who may find themselves secluded from the outside world at times."

Ben added: "I have two young boys of my own and friends with young children who love to ride, but unfortunately we struggle to find somewhere safely for them to ride.

"I have a large group of friends who are happy to support my idea of bringing the track back into public use, but we need the support of the county council to move forward."

If you would like to sign the petition to help bring the BMX track back into use you can do so by visiting change.org/p/carmarthenshire-county-council-save-cwmaman-bmx-track

All signatures will be passed to Carmarthenshire county and Cwmaman town councils.