BIKERS riding dangerously on pavements and across green spaces have been warned they are risking serious injury.

There have been increased reports of people using quadbikes and scramblers across Greenstead in recent weeks.

As well as mounting onto the walkways, the thrillseekers have been spotted on Salary Brook and the nearby slopes.

After a rise in complaints from residents, ward councillor Tim Young (Lab) has called for action from Essex Police and Colchester Borough Homes in a bid to stop the dangerous riding.

He said he was concerned there would be a grave accident if the bikes were not used properly.

"This motorbike riding activity is highly dangerous and, sooner or later, somebody is going to get seriously hurt," he said.

"The riding activities can occur at any time of the day and on any day but it is more prevalent at weekends and during school holidays."

Shortly before Christmas a man was airlifted to hospital after a quadbike crash in a field off Harwich Road.

Mr Young said he was hoping to see enforcement in time for the half term break where more reckless riding is expected.

Kevin Greenfield, who lives on the estate, said he feared the situation was an accident waiting to happen.

"I see it every weekend and in the evenings from my window riding their quadbikes and their scramblers," the 48-year-old said.

"Whenever I have phoned the police they do not seem to really want to get involved.

"I have submitted reports with descriptions but I have never been able to take down registration numbers.

"It means they are just getting away with it.

"If one of them was to get too close to a parent on the school run or a young child then they could go flying and hit their heads on the pavement.

"It is usually a group of three of them and they seem to be teenagers.

"I think there should be signs up warning people about the dangers of what they are doing."