Bikers are using Skipton bypass to reach speeds of 200mph - and become members of a deadly club.

The craze has been revealed in a new programme in which a motorcyclist claims to have reached 208mph on the bypass.

It has sparked strong criticism from police, bikers and people in the motor cycle industry.

A North Yorkshire police spokesman said: "Drivers, pedestrians, bikers and police strongly condemn speeds like that - they are suicidal."

The biker in the programme - who gives his name only as Sammy - said the bypass is a favourite location for club members.

The programme includes frightening footage of bikers speeding on other North Yorkshire roads, where so far this year 20 people have been killed in motorcycle accidents.

Sammy tells presenter Morland Sanders: "You can see everything at 70mph. At 200mph you just see the road in front.

"Why give us toys that can do 200mph if you don't want us to do 200mph?"

Paul Suckley, of Denholme & District Motorcycle Club, said: "No way can speeds like that be justified. It's ridiculous.

"Bikers still have a bad image,which is no longer justified. Behaviour like this just doesn't help."

And a spokesman for Colin Appleyard Sport and Pleasure Motorcycles in Keighley said: "Nobody wants to travel at these speeds on public roads. I can't believe it's happening. It is ludicrous."

He said the only production motorcycles which would reach 200mph are the 1300cc Suzuki Hyabusa and the Honda 1100cc Blackbird. And thousands of pounds would have to be spent on special attachments to produce the extra speed.

North Yorkshire traffic police Sergeant John Lumbard said he has heard of the 200mph Club only through second-hand information.

But he is aware of bikers travelling at well over 100mph and even pulling 'wheelies' at the same time.

"Often it's a group of three riders and they'll literally race one another from one point to another to see who can get there the quickest, with complete disregard for anyone else on the road," he said.

BBC One's Inside Out programme will be broadcast at 7.30pm on Monday. It is a new regional programme and replaces Close Up North