RESIDENTS in Rishton have been told that bikers causing a nuisance on public footpaths cannot be stopped unless their actions are reported to the police.

Locals have complained of youngsters riding motorbikes on the canal towpath running through Rishton and on the 'white path,' a former railway cutting close to Tottleworth Road.

Police had even applied for funding to help install special gates on paths to stop bikers getting their machines on to the problem areas in the first place.

But now it has been revealed that not enough official complaints have been made to police officers, because of which it is not possible to successfully apply for funding. Officers have now appealed to residents to report problems.

PC Kath Barnes told a meeting of the Rishton Area Council: "We just don't have any evidence and we have lost our money. If you are having any problems you must report them to the police, because without these reports I have no evidence that we have a problem, which may mean that I can't apply for funding to get the gates on the towpath and the White Path."

Residents told the meeting that increased police activity had eased the problem, and most local youngsters knew they cannot get away with riding their bikes illegally in the area.