Police have urged children in Dundee to avoid playing on quad bikes and petrol bikes after an 11-year-old girl suffered facial injuries.
The youngster was playing in Dundee’s Caird Park when she fell from a moving quad bike, leaving her with an injury to her face.
City police have long since warned of the dangers of children playing on such equipment and the accident has led to a fresh call from local officers.
The Courier revealed earlier this year that teenagers in the Fintry area of Dundee were giving locals cause for concern by routinely speeding through streets on petrol bikes.
Police in Tayside launched Operation Challenge off the back of such complaints.
Constable Richard Heggie, Dundee Local Policing Area, said: “Operation Challenge is a multi-agency response to target individuals who cause a nuisance and a danger within their communities with vehicles of these kinds.
“We have support from the Dundee Community Safety Partnership and working together, we undertake intelligence gathering, patrolling of hotspot areas, diversionary work through school inputs and work directly with young people who are involved in this activity.
“With the warm days and nights, people may think that this is the ideal opportunity to take their motorbikes or quad bikes outside onto open land.
“Off road vehicles can only be lawfully ridden on private land with the direct permission of the land owner or at an organised, supervised off-road centre.
“We strongly recommend that riders wear full protective clothing at all times, including a helmet which fits correctly and is securely fastened.
“Officers will make full use of their powers to prevent and detect those who use their vehicles illegally or in an anti-social manner
“Those who insist on using their vehicles illegally face prosecution with the potential of incurring fines, driving bans and in certain circumstances, prison sentences.”
Anyone wishing to report any incidents can do so by contacting Police Scotland on 10 or by phoning the city’s community safety wardens on 01382 436333.
