WIRRAL Rangers have hit out at youngsters who are endangering their lives and putting others at risk by illegally riding motorbikes in our country parks.

They are calling for local people to help them and police to identify the perpetrators before staff and park users are seriously hurt.

A ranger was knocked down, sustaining serious back injuries, by a youth on a motorbike in a recent incident at Eastham Country Park. The rider, who then sped off up Ferry Road, is believed to live in Eastham.

Youths are illegally riding the off-road bikes without helmets, road tax or insurance. Some even carry younger children as passengers. They speed along, causing damage to paths and vegetation. Rangers report that they are often abusive and aggressive to anyone challenging them.

Police and rangers are frequently called to Eastham Country Park, Lowfields Park, Arrowe Country Park and Bidston Hill to deal with incidents, but rangers say that the young riders are very difficult to catch and chasing them can make the situation more dangerous for everyone.

Vicky Hose, Senior Ranger for South Wirral, said: "Their families and neighbours must know what they are doing and they need to start taking responsibility for the actions of these youths.

"All too often we encounter abuse and aggression and more and more we are putting ourselves at risk, just doing our jobs, when we should be helping people to enjoy our parks and open spaces.

"This is a local community problem and it cannot be solved without their help and it needs to be solved before someone is seriously hurt or killed."

Residents in Lowfield Avenue, Eastham, are angry and upset by the constant noise and hazard inflicted upon them by the youngsters riding at speed in their neighbourhood.

Locals report that children from the Mill Park Estate are racing, perilously, through Lowfields Park and riding noisy bikes along roadside banks, damaging green land near to their homes and making their lives a misery.

A resident of Lowfields Avenue, who does not wish to be named, said: "Someone is going to get hurt - they travel at such high speeds. Kids can't go out to play in the street because it is too dangerous."

Another local man added: "I have warned them off many times but they are just abusive. They were here every night last week and they have cut down some of the trees in the area.

"I have even managed to get some video footage of them openly flaunting the law."

Police Neighbourhood Inspector Kate Aspinall added: "We have been giving extra attention to the area. This is a common problem as nights get lighter. We are liaising with our motorcyclists to tackle the problem."

Rangers are calling for sites to be identified around Wirral where youngsters could ride motorbikes and mountain bikes without conflict.

Jim Lester, Senior Inspector of Cultural Services, said: "We would like to provide for these pursuits but we have covered every inch of Wirral searching for a site and there just isn't one. Even if there was a site available, then there is the problem of managing such an area. But it is clear that we cannot allow these problems to continue."

If you can help, contact Wirral Rangers on 327-1007 or get in touch with your local police.