POLICE seized bikes from youths who were nearly hit by a bus and were seen weaving in and out of traffic.

The bikes were seized on June 8 as part of a wider operation by West Mercia Police.

It comes after complaints about youths cycling anti-socially in the city and pulling wheelies near pedestrians and cars.

PCSO Harley Youngs said: “On Saturday June 8, four young people were seen acting antisocially on pedal bikes.

“The first three had been seen weaving in and out of traffic, cycling up and down the one way system on Angel Street and the surrounding road network.

“This type of behaviour can put themselves and other road users in potential danger.

“It is believed that the fourth young man was observed pulling a wheelie down The Cross, going through a red light and potentially putting himself and others in danger.

“We have subsequently acted on the information we have received and seized all four pedal cycles to reduce the potential harm to themselves and others.”

This seizure was the first of more planned operations that will be taking place in Worcester City Centre, with plain clothed and uniformed officers monitoring and recording this kind of behaviour, and PCSO Youngs said they will “also be taking positive action against any persons caught acting in such a manner.”

The operation was set up by the Cathedral Ward local policing team and assisted by Special Constables and the St Johns and Bedwardine Safer neighbourhood team.

In May, Worcester resident Paul Geraghty

called for action

after seeing teenagers riding their bikes in the road, saying one of them could be killed in the process. In response, 50 teenagers staged a ‘ride out’ to show that those doing wheelies in the road were a “small minority”. Worcester News readers debated the issue on Facebook, with one user, Sam Dewson, saying: “They’re kids - Let them carry on. It wasn’t a problem years ago, why now? It is not an offence it is kids being kids. If they fall off or have a near miss that’s how we all learned.” Another reader, Anya Wright, said: “I’ve frequently seen this in the city centre, holding up traffic and putting themselves and drivers at risk.

“Pleased they’ve been caught. This ‘hobby’ could easily be carried out in a park instead.”