MOTORBIKES and electric bikes have been causing damage on the mountain bike trails in Gisburn Forest.

Over recent weeks the Ribble Valley rural task force has had a number of reports and said the bikes have been responsible for damage caused to the trails that are maintained by a team of volunteers giving up their own time.

A spokesman for the police said: "Legally these bikes are prohibited from riding in the forest and to do so the riders commit offences under section 34 of the road traffic act.

"Today we received another report that a Surron bike had been seen being off-loaded from a little white van and had duly ridden off into the forest. On arrival we found the little white van but the rider of the Surron didn't want to stick around and rode off.

"Unfortunately for the Surron rider we had the last laugh and seized the little white van under section 59 of the police reform act and it is now on its way to the compound."