A CANVEY dad fears it is only a matter of time before a child is seriously injured or killed thanks to nuisance youths on motorbikes plaguing a neighbourhood.

The father, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals, is urging police officers to provide a regular police presence in Third Avenue and Fifth Avenue to deter yobs racing around.

He claims that the trouble-makers have been regularly causing havoc in recent days and could easily hit a child in the street, because they have little consideration to their surroundings.

It comes as police made the decision to post CCTV images on social media of motorcyclists also causing a danger at the skate park.

The dad said: “We need a regular police presence to protect our children from the multiple youths racing around on motorbikes with no concern for their surroundings.

“Children have been narrowly missed and the youths are a constant nuisance.

“We have approached them asking them to cease. However, we receive abuse and one youth threatened that he would shoot me using a hand gesture to suggest it.

“I called the police as did other residents. But a unit arrived an hour after they left and nothing was done.

“This is the first response unit following many appeals for help to the police.

“It is just a matter of time until a child is hurt or even killed.”

The island has notoriously been a hotspot for youngsters riding off-road scramble bikes, particularly at the seafront and at Canvey Heights.

The Echo reported last week that police have been alerted to antisocial behaviour at the Waterside Farm skate park, in Somnes Avenue.

Councillor Godfrey Isaacs, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and safer communities, said: “I have had a meeting with Insp Fergus Caulfield and it has been decided that the CCTV cameras at Waterside Farm will be used to identify bikers.

“The pictures will be posted onto social media to try and track down the people responsible.

“We are hopeful that this will sort out the issue once and for all.

“We will use any device we can to apprehend anybody if they are not abiding by the law.

“We also want to protect the skate park, because it is getting damaged by those using motorbikes.”

Anyone with information about who the youths are who are responsible for the antisocial behaviour can contact the Castle Point and Rochford community policing team on Essex Police 101.

Alternatively, they can call crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org to fill out an online form.