ILLEGAL off-road bikers have been warned that their vehicles will be crushed if they are found to be causing a nuisance.

A zero tolerance approach is now being adopted by police across Barnsley, according to Sgt David Baines, who heads up policing in eight wards across the town.

If a series of reports are given to the police which identifies the location of where a nuisance bike is being stored, officers have warned that the vehicle will be seized.

Sgt Baines said: “I urge anyone in Barnsley, who may know where the person lives and where they’re keeping the bike, to get in touch with us.

“We will go and take the bike off them - it’s as simple as that. They will ask for it back, but then we can tell them to produce a proof of purchase. If they can’t do that, which more often than not they can’t, we’ll crush it.”

The hardline stance follows years of issues with motorbikes and quads, which has led Barnsley officers to look for funding to purchase its own bikes so they are better equipped to tackle offenders.

As it stands, the town is the only area of South Yorkshire which does not have its own and instead relies on police bikes from Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield at its monthly off-road operations.

South Yorkshire Police has provided funds for equipment such as helmets and protective clothing, while three officers - PCs Mark Winter, Darrell Needham and Sam Whitehouse - have begun their police training so they can have access to the bikes.

“As part of their training, they’re required to do operations in their patches,” Sgt Baines added. “PC Winter is based in Penistone and Darrell and Sam are a part of the Royston team.

“Bikes are currently based centrally, so we really do want to get hold of our own so we’re not reliant on getting them from Sheffield each time.”

Officers who may come across a biker while they’re out on patrol in a police car cannot pursue - giving riders more opportunity of evading them.

But police have vowed to get even tougher on the culprits, which has seen them recently work alongside Barnsley Council, who have purchased a drone to give them a better chance of finding those responsible.

PC Bev Frisby added: “The drone is a fantastic help and it’s one of the things that’s recently been added in the fight against them. It was used at a recent operation at Rabbit Ings, Royston.

“In many ways we’re a toothless dog without our own bikes, but that will hopefully change and we’re committed to tackling the issue. We’re building up a picture of Barnsley’s hotspots and need local people to get in touch with us.”