ST HELENS Council is warning motor cycle scramblers who cause damage to public and private property that it will deploy tough new legislation to put the brake on.

Chairman of Leisure, Councillor Keith Deakin, said: "St Helens will not hesitate to use the new powers, when they come in, to put a stop to bikers causing wilful damage.

"Considerable damage is caused to parks and open spaces in St Helens. We have sites of special scientific interest, two of which are are at Stanley Bank Meadows and Parr Hall Millennium Green at Blackbrook.

"Scrambler bikes have become a menace at both these sites and I am delighted that legislation is coming which will give the police more power to act and will enable us to recoup the cost of damage from the bike owners.

"People who buy these bikes for their youngsters should be warned that the site repair costs, fines and court costs may well exceed what they paid for the bike in the first place.

"There is a site provided for the use of scramblers at Bold Moss and I would urge those involved in this pastime to use it. This authority will use the full force of the new laws against offenders. If they ignore the warnings they will pay heavily.

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