YOUNGSTERS in Mitcheldean were devastated when the mud jumps they spent years building with their bare hands were torn down.

Now, the teenagers are doing jumps for joy after the return of their BMX track, which was flattened by bulldozers.

The Mitcheldean dirt bikers have worked tirelessly to get the jumps reinstated.

As well as raising thousands of pounds to have them professionally designed and shaped, they got their hands dirty themselves by helping out.

Leading campaigners, Scott Williams, 17, and Alex Yeates, 18, are delighted the track could open just in time for the half-term holidays.

"When they bulldozed them we had nothing to do," said Scott.

"It's been hard work but it shows what you can achieve if your are prepared to put in the effort. It has given us a sense of achievement but more importantly, a lot of young people now have something to do."

In the summer of 2010 the youngsters asked for permission to hire a mini digger to create a new row of jumps for younger riders next to the larger ones they had already built themselves.

However, parish councillors discovered the site was uninsured and lawyers advised them to bulldoze the home-made jumps.

For more on the story, read The Forester.