A TEENAGE cyclist was injured after crashing into a gate at Pleasington Cemetery yesterday after it had been locked up for the night.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council locks the venue every evening to stop anti-social behaviour.

Fire crews had to use bolt cutters to let ambulance crews into the site after the incident late last night.

The locks at the main entrance gate to the park at Tower Road were cut by firefighters, as were the locks at the main gate to the cemetery.

The 19-year-old cyclist was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital with a suspected broken arm.

Crew manager at Blackburn fire station John Leach said the 19-year-old hit the gates at just before 10pm.

He said: “There had been a group of youths cycling on BMX bikes.

"But while they have been in there the staff have locked the gates.

“As the group has come down towards the gates they haven’t realised that the gates are closed and one of the lads has cycled straight in to them.

“We had to cut the locks off the outer playing fields gates and inner cemetery gates to allow the ambulance to get to the boy.

“He suffered some serious injuries to his arm and leg but he was conscious.

"I think he was lucky to get away with just broken bones.”

Security was stepped up at the site last year after complaints from residents about drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and even prostitutes using the cemetery.

PC Lyndsey Armstrong said problems at the site have reduced in recent months thanks to the gates being locked.