Police seized a motorbike from a seven-year-old boy after he was spotted riding it “erratically” on a road. Officers from Merseyside Police were called to Huyton, Knowsley, after receiving reports of a scrambler being driven dangerously on the road.
When they caught up with the off-road bike, they were surprised to see the rider was a boy aged just seven. He told them he had been given the bike as a Christmas present.
The force has now warned parents who allow their children to ride scrambler or quad bikes in public places that they may be prosecuted. Brian Loughran, Knowsley Targeted Inspector, said: “It is really worrying that a seven-year-old was riding this vehicle on the roads, it is illegal for a scrambler to be driven on the road, but to let a child take to the roads presents a danger to their safety and the safety of others.
“We’ve seized the scrambler bike from today’s incident in line with Operation Brookdale protocols and we will continue to seize scrambler bikes that are being ridden dangerously, or illegally. We don’t want to be taking kids’ Christmas presents off them – but we’d rather be taking their bikes off the roads than taking them to hospital. Or worse.”