MOTORBIKE riding wardens for the area's parks and public places could be in place by early next year.

Interviews for the two posts should be underway in January now the area's three community involvement teams (CITs) have agreed to the joint project.

The £70,000 scheme will see the two wardens patrolling the three wards, Otley and Wharfedale, Aireborough and Horsforth from 10am to 10pm.

Their job will be to oversee public areas and because their bikes will be fitted with video cameras, record any anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale), chairman of the Otley and Wharfedale CIT, said: "We hope the mobile patrols will be in place early in the new year.

"They will be equipped with video recorders which will record everything they've been up to all day and they will be connected by radio control to headquarters where they can call the police," he said. The patrols will visit all the green areas across the district, including the parks and allotments and also places like Yeadon Tarn and Otley Chevin.

There are currently two mobile wardens employed by Leeds City Council to cover the whole of the city.

The extra two will mean much better coverage for Otley, Wharfedale, Horsforth and Aireborough.

Coun Fox said: "They're rather like old style park keepers, but mobile and will be able to video what's happening all the time.

"One of the things that has come back to us is the fear of crime and this fits in with that. People will see these mobile patrols around."