FRESH calls have been made for the public in Rishton to report motorbike users who are riding illegally.

Several residents have reported near-misses and incidents over the past week, including one who said their friend fell off a startled horse.

Polly Brown wrote on the Rishton First website: “Idiots on off-road bikes on the White Path, noisy and dangerous endangering horse back riders and pedestrians.

“But when you report it to the police, all they say is ‘they can only do something when someone gets hurt’.”Referring to one rider, Polly wrote: “Not only once did this fool come at us, but twice.

“He blatantly drove fast between two horses, scaring them both, and caused my friend to fall off.”

Local councillor Ken Moss said the problem used to be prominent in the summer months only, but was now a constant issue.

He said: “I would like to see them all scrapped. They are not road legal and they are not for driving on the road or the pavements and footpaths. They are a nuisance to everybody.

“We need public information and the problem remains the same: People don’t report where the bikes are being stored.

“The feeling seems to be that the 101 number is not worth ringing because ‘nothing gets done’.

“But because of people phoning in, we have issued warrants and seized bikes.

“The problem comes up when I meet with the police most months, certainly in the summer months. It’s probably the number one problem in summer, but it seems to be all year round now.”

Earlier this year, police pledged to crackdown on the riders, and the problem was prioritised at a Police and Communities Together meeting, but the problem continued.

Resident, Phil Graham, said that he has emailed Hyndburn MP Graham Jones to ask for his help.

Mr Jones could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Calls to the Rishton neighbourhood policing team were not returned.