Goodwick Moor's boardwalk has been closed to the public, after sections have been extensively damaged by horse riders and wildlife has been disturbed by dogs off the lead.

The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales said that the "reserve is not getting the respect it requires from a number of different users".

Horse riders were seen using the pedestrian walkway last week, after this reports came in of the piles of horse manure on the boardwalk and areas which had been totally smashed up.

Due to the damage and the continued disturbance to wildlife, the trust's officer for Pembrokeshire, Nathan Walton, took the decision to close the boardwalk last Thursday (July 14).

"The damage is so extensive that I have decided to close the boardwalk and rip sections out so that is no longer accessible," he said.

He added that horses, cyclists and small motorbikes had been using the boardwalk but the main problem was with dogs off the lead disturbing wildlife.

"The decline in bird life over the years is evident and dogs are the main cause," he said. "Ground nesting birds no longer find it a safe haven to breed."

He added that signs asking owners to keep dogs on leads had been frequently removed.

"The time has come for Goodwick Moor to close its doors to the public and allow nature time to recover once again," he said.

Mr Walton said it would cost £50,000 to replace the boardwalk.

"There may be a day when enough money can be found to reinstall a better form of access to the reserve, although I am hesitant to promote any access unless we get the cooperation of every user visiting the site," he said.