'Antisocial' bikes are put into the crusher; CRACKDOWN: Police act on public response and seize and destroy mini machines.

Byline: By Kerry Beadling

MINI motorbikes which cause a major nuisance across Coventry have been seized and crushed.

Officers were given six off-road motorbikes in March by Coventry City Council to battle the problem of peewee bikes and motorcycles being ridden dangerously and without licences or insurance.

Police have been seizing mini-bikes and were shocked to find one had been bodged together using two different wheels and the handle bars from a child's bike.

Since March more than 35 bikes have been taken off the streets of the north of the city.

Now 50 that have been seized across the city have been crushed at a Coventry breakers' yard.

Speaking as the bikes went into the crusher, Inspector Kerry Blakeman, of Stoney Stanton Road police station, said he was pleased with how successful the crackdown had been.

He said: "We've brought in all varieties of bikes and it's in direct response from the public.

"A year ago people in north east Coventry identified antisocial behaviour of off-road bikes as a big issue.

"From January to April in 2005 there were 594 calls to us about them and for the same period this year there's been 120, which is an 80 per cent reduction.

"In Longford the local community meet monthly and we have been able to go back to those residents and tell them how many bikes we have seized.

"We accept the problem hasn't gone away. But if people go to a park on a Saturday or Sunday they expect to be able to enjoy themselves in peace without people off-riding bikes.

"We will take it seriously where people are riding bikes dangerously, keeping them in an unsafe condition or using them without insurance or licences."

Mini-motorbikes can only be used on private land with the landowners' permission.

To be used in public areas they must be licensed, taxed, insured and in a roadworthy condition.

Last week the Evening Telegraph revealed that almost 1,000 cars had been crushed in Coventry as part of a crackdown on uninsured drivers.

TELL US YOUR VIEWS... What do you think about the campaign to stop the nuisance and danger caused by mini-motorbikes? Write to: Newsdesk, Corporation Street, Coventry, CV1 1FP' text 07800 140 064' ore-mail [e-mail]' telephone [phone]' or fax [phone]

CAPTION(S):

GETTING TOUGH... DVLA officer Simon Chambers (far left), police Sgt Mick Abbott (centre) and Insp. Kerry Blakeman, who have led the campaign to put mini-motorbikes into the crusher (above). D33824_1