SHOCKING footage has emerged of a gang of “yobs” on scooters and trials bikes riding alongside a motorcyclist for more than a mile and “trying to run him off the road”.

The gang followed a motorcyclist through Birkenshaw towards Bradford, performing erratic manoeuvres, ramming his back wheels and surrounding him.

At least eight vehicles, including a quad bike, can be seen in the dramatic helmet camera footage.

The bizarre incident only concludes when the motorcyclist pulls up on the pavement to get “out of harm’s way”.

The gang of youths, some without helmets, then swap verbal insults with him and ride through a red temporary traffic light to make off.

Earlier, the footage shows the motorcyclist being surrounded by four bike riders who then ride only a short distance ahead of him.

One of the group’s bikes can be seen riding up the wrong side of the road at a large roundabout, in danger of facing traffic head-on.

Some of the youths have bikes featuring false rear number plates.

One of the number plates contains an anti-police message and the other has the message ‘No Manners’ written on it.

Another of the scooters has a learner’s plate on the back.

The filming motorcyclist, in a bid to avoid being ‘boxed in” by the gang, can be seen bursting through the centre of two riders surrounding him in an attempt to escape their increasingly-intimidating attentions.

The partner of the pursued motorcyclist, who did not wish to be named, condemned the group, saying they were “causing hell” in the area.

She added that such anti-social behaviour on two wheels was a regular occurrence in the area.

She said: “It’s just yob culture. I could not believe what was happening.

“They were trying to run him off the road. He had to park up out of harm’s way. We just don’t want it happening to anyone else.

“This gang are causing hell. It’s getting worse and worse. This is happening everywhere around here. One of the people on the scooters was mouthing off. One of the scooters went into him. They were trying to box him in.”

The motorcyclist who filmed the incident was not injured and his bike was not damaged.

The incident took place on Sunday, February 11, between 1pm and 2pm, on Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, and Oxford Road, past the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service headquarters and going towards Bradford.

West Yorkshire Police said they were called to reports of various vehicles including quad bikes, mopeds and scooters being ridden dangerously.

Superintendent Marianne Huison, of Kirklees Police, said: “We treat instances of dangerous driving very seriously.

“I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this or has information about anyone involved to contact police.”

MORE TOP STORIES

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting crime reference 13180081171.

Councillor Andrew Palfreeman (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) criticised the gang and said he had experienced the same intimidation tactics by what he believed to be the same gang last Sunday, February 18.

He had been driving on Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, when a group of three motorcyclists, who he said he recognised from the video, surrounded the car he was driving.

Cllr Palfreeman, who was alone in the car and has not reported the incident to the police, said: “The video is shocking and totally unacceptable.

“I would say to them just be mindful of their safety, but particularly other people. If they want to act in this manner, they need to grow up.”

He said of his own experience: “It lasted about 45 seconds to a minute. They were in close proximity to my car.

“They were doing wheelies and trying to intimidate me.

“They tried to give me an escort. It’s disconcerting. As the driver, you are tempted to use your brakes but you have got to be careful.

“This group are an accident waiting to happen.”