A CYCLIST was injured after riding into a booby trap on a cycle path at York University.

The woman fell from her bike when she hit strong parcel tape tied at head-height between two bridge supports on the campus.

The stunned victim - a member of staff at the Heslington campus - is believed to have braked after spotting the tape at the bridge entrance. But she was too late to stop and tumbled off her bike.

A university spokeswoman confirmed the sick night-time stunt was being probed by security services and said she hoped it was a one-off. This could have led to much more serious injuries," she told the Evening Press.

"We think it was deliberately put there to injure people."

She said the cyclist had been "injured", but could not give any more details.

Now a memo has been posted around the Heslington site warning students such behaviour will not be tolerated.

However, the spokeswoman said the cycle path could have been booby trapped by a non-student. "It's not been possible to identify the culprit or culprits.

"This could have involved people from off the campus, but we are still reminding students not to take part in such activity."

The incident, believed to be a first at the university, happened on the bridge crossing the lake between Vanbrugh and Goodricke colleges.

A warning memo was posted around campus afterwards.

The spokeswoman added: "I would not like to think this is the kind of thing that would happen again. Hopefully it's a one-off."

Updated: 09:33 Saturday, December 20, 2003