A bike track where a former world champion cut his teeth can once again be used by off road motorcyclists thanks to the efforts of a club.

Last January Bradford Council informed the owners of Rough Holden Farm in Silsden they might have to shut their site down to motorcyclists after the council received complaints from some Silsden residents.

Although the Boothman family said they had used motorbikes on the land for decades, the council issued an enforcement notice that would limit their use on the site to just 14 days a year.

Eager to keep it as a facility where off road bikers can practice, and where occasional bike trial events are held, the family applied for permission for continued use.

Council officers have now said they could withdraw this application, as they will be allowed to continue using the land for motorcycles.

Ian Horsfall, planning manager for enforcement, said: “We looked into the situation with this piece of land and concluded that, because it was only intermittently used for trial bikes, no planning permission was needed.”

Sam Boothman, whose father Ian owns the land, says they do not make a profit from letting bikers ride there, and believes it is an important facility.

The farm has hosted Bradford and District Motor Club events for at least ten years, and is where former world champion trials biker Dougie Lampkin, from Silsden, practiced.

Mr Boothman said Bradford Trials club had been a huge help in their fight to keep going, paying for their application, providing evidence of the site’s use and offering legal advice.

He hoped motorcyclists start returning to the site now its future was secured.