VILLAGERS are being nail-ed in a "sick" vendetta that is putting the lives of drivers at risk.

Three-inch long nails are being planted along a roadside verge in Callow End to put the brakes on motorists taking a short cut.

Furious drivers have bombarded the parish council with complaints since they found 32 nails wedged in the tyres of their cars, delivery vans and farm vehicles.

One woman found five in her tyres after driving over the grassed-over area, built to slow traffic down on a bend in Beauchamp Lane.

"Whoever planted the nails must be very sick," said Leslie Davies, parish council member.

"The consequences, had they not been spotted, could have been dire.

"Imagine what could have happened if she had been going down the motorway with young children on board.

"The grassy area has been built up with soil, making it difficult for cyclists, women with pushchairs and local farmers.

"There are no signs on the road to tell you it's there and it pushes traffic over into one lane, virtually closing one right of way."

Mike Davis, manager of Malvern Hills Highways Partnership, said the hardened verge had been introduced after a great deal of consultation.

"It was one of a number of measures introduced at the time of new development at Beauchamp Court, when there was concern about an increase in traffic," he said.

"People shouldn't normally drive over this area. It's only intended to be driven on if you meet an oncoming vehicle and need to pull over."

One resident had also lobbied the parish council about soil and rocks being scattered over the safety feature, Mr Davies revealed.

John Wallace, traffic and development manager for the partnership, said investigations had been launched after the complaint about soil dumping, but said they had come to nothing.

He believed police had launched a separate inquiry into the nail planting, but officers were unable to confirm whether or not this was the case as the Evening News went to press.