"Report off road bikers" - police in call to borough residents

Residents affected, among others, are those living in Ashton Heath.

Coun Anthony Sykes, who represents the area on Wigan Council, said there is a fear someone will get hurt if action is not taken.

He said: “This is really dangerous and reckless as there are people about walking.

“All it takes is for a child or someone with a pram to walk out when a bike is about and they could be seriously injured or killed.

“The area is really popular with dog walkers and I want people to enjoy this and feel safe.“

And Coun Sykes said he has contacted police in Wigan about the problem and has requested the help of a specialist team within Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

He said: “The police have only had one report.

“The GMP off road bike team attend areas with most reports, so although the police have told me they will attend to get the specialist team involved, I would urge residents to report off-road motorbike use on roads and Ashton Heath.”

One resident who is at their wits’ end on Norwich Avenue near to the heath, who asked not to be named, said the bikers can be there late at night and travel at fast speeds.

They said: “Off-road bikes have been a real nightmare.

“It’s a problem all round Ashton Heath and on the other end near Golborne Asda.

“The end of our road is just all open heath land and particular individuals access it from there.

“They are younger people on the bikes and they can be there as late as 11.30pm and come and go, while they travel of speeds up to 30mph.

“When you confront these people, they can get really quite aggressive.

“There have been some incidents where people have nearly been hit and it’s really getting quite serious and someone is going to get hurt.

He added: “I’ve phoned the police and council but nothing seems to be done about it.”

Chief Inspector Liz Sanderson of GMP’s Wigan district urged people to report incidents involving off-road bikes.

She: “We understand that anti-social behaviour can be distressing for communities, and I would like to encourage anyone affected to continue reporting their concerns to us.

“When reports are made, we will always investigate them where possible as this enables us to build a picture of problematic areas and take the necessary action to minimise the impact this can have on the community.

“Our neighbourhood teams also work tirelessly with partners to minimise incidents that are causing disruption to ensure our communities feel safe and secure.”

People can report incidents to GMP on their website via the LiveChat function, through the reporting form or by calling 101. In an emergency 999 should always be dialled.