A “dangerous” sausage-shaped asphalt bulge has erupted in the middle of a cycle path in York. The so-called “stray sausage” appeared on the track in New Earswick from a crack that had previously been filled in, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Rob Ainsley, a cycling writer, said the 2in-high extrusion was potentially dangerous, while describing it as a “minor tourist attraction”.

“I’ve ridden in 50 countries. I’ve been all over Britain, all over Yorkshire. I’ve never seen anything like this before,” said Mr Ainsley. “What has happened is there was a huge crack along the length of the path, which was very dangerous, it was about an inch or two wide, and you could easily lose your wheel down in it.

“It’s like the tectonic plates that create the Himalayas. After the dry summer came this dreadfully wet autumn and wet winter.

“The huge banks of earth on either side swelled up, closed the gap… and they squeezed together again, extruded all this filling back out, and it’s come out and solidified. In its own way, it’s a minor tourist attraction, but it’s a pretty dangerous thing.”

Mr Ainsley, who has reported the danger to York council, added that a man cycling to his nearby bowls club had reported he had “nearly come off from hitting that thing”.

(Picture: Rob Ainsley/York Cycle Campaign)