A Bradford Council sign banning adults from a new family fitness trail and forbidding dog walkers from strolling through a Baildon beauty spot has been taken into custody to protect it from being damaged.

The large metal sign appeared on Friday at Ferniehurst Dell where the Trim Trail of wooden exercise stations opened only last month at a cost of £11,000 to Baildon Town Council.

The activity trail – designed for adults and children to get fit together – was the brainchild of the Ferniehurst Dell Improvement Group, and its secretary Rob Higgie said arrival of the sign had caused anger and disbelief.

“Dog walkers in particular were absolutely furious – when somebody told me about the sign, my first reaction was ‘don’t be silly’,” Mr Higgie said.

The sign reads: “No entry to persons over the age of 14 unless supervising a child under this age. In the interests of public health, no dogs are allowed, except guide dogs.”

Mr Higgie went to the Dell to investigate on Sunday and discovered the sign – which he and other members of FDIG decided to remove to safety.

“People were so angry we feared it might get damaged, so I got my socket spanner set and removed the sign, which is currently sat in my study,” said Mr Higgie, who has walked his own pets there for ten years.

“Hopefully we haven’t done anything wrong – we just decided to take it down and ride the bumps.

“Nevermind banning adults from the Trim Trail, to ban dogs is completely against the whole idea of the place and sends out completely the wrong message.

“We want more people, and more dog walkers to come to the Dell.”

He said e-mails and conversations with Bradford Council officers had subsequently established the offending sign had been put up by mistake.

“It seems it is a general sign for use at children’s play areas, whereas the Trim Trail is for everyone,” Mr Higgie said.

Baildon Town Council chairman Chris Flecknoe said she believed there had been a misunderstanding.

“I’m confident this was just down to an error by Bradford Council – obviously it’s not something the town council would put up.

“Obviously the intention behind the Trim Trail is for to be accessible to people of all ages.”

No-one at Bradford Council was available to comment.