POLICE bike squad officers have topped the 200 mark for vehicles seized this year which were being ridden in an anti-social way.

More than 300 vehicles have been taken off the district's roads by Bradford's anti-social behaviour bike team since it was formed in July last year.

The 200th seizure involved a quad bike which was being ridden, with a small child in tandem, down steep steps on a public footpath.

Police were alerted by residents in Avondale Road, Shipley, to the bike being ridden in woods and on to the greenway near to Shipley Golf Club.

A bike team officer attended and lay in wait until he spotted the bike being ridden down the steps. He stopped the rider.

A spokesman for the bike team said: "The area is used by dog walkers and people enjoying a social walk on public moorland. What they don't have to put up with is the chance of meeting this bike coming down a footpath.

"The bike had been used with a small child under supervision, which presents a separate set of dangers.

"Both the rider, and the child's mother were spoken to, advised and the bike was seized, under section 59 of the Police Reform Act, for anti-social use."

The spokesman added: "The bike can, and most likely will be, recovered by the owner, but they have been advised regarding any future use in that area.

"Thanks to calls from the public, we were able to act swiftly, as the bike officers were in the area at the time.

"Please continue to support the police, and help your neighbours, by contacting us with any information about such illegal use."

The bike team has now seized 210 bikes this year and 330 in total since it was formed. In that time it has attended 1,005 incidents of anti-social behaviour involving vehicles, issued 792 section 59 warnings to riders and their vehicles for anti-social riding, and submitted around 100 files for traffic offences.

PC Dave Hitchcocks, one of the officers in the team, said: "We are pleased to make our 200th seizure this year and we remain committed to tackling the nuisance and illegal use of vehicles in the district.

"We are grateful to the people of Bradford for supporting our work and continue to urge anyone with information about these vehicles to obtain as much information as possible and then contact us.

"Details can be sent to bradforddistrictasbbiketeam@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or left on our answerphone on 01274 373968. They can also be reported at your local police station.

"If the vehicle is believed to be posing an immediate risk to the public then please call 999. Non-emergency calls should be made on the 101 number."