UNDERCOVER police officers patrolled Gwent mountains on motorbikes as part of a crackdown on illegal and off-road biking.

Officers from Cwmbran and Pontypool police took part in Operation Cassowary at the weekend in an attempt to cut the growing problem of nuisance bikers.

Police in Torfaen received around 1,200 calls last year related to anti-social biking.

It is estimated that around 200 bikers from Gwent take to local mountains each weekend to illegally ride their scrambler bikes.

Around a dozen officers took part in an operation on Saturday and Sunday, patrolling Penyrheol mountain, near Cwmbran, and streets throughout Torfaen.

Gwent Police and Torfaen Community Safety Partnership today launch a strategy to tackle the problem and educate young people about the laws and dangers of scrambler bikes, go-peds and scooters.

They will also speak to parents, and shops selling the vehicles, to explain the laws covering the use of the machines.

There are concerns over the risk bikers are causing to walkers and also the dangers of unregulated biking.

Last year a biker broke his leg on Penyrheol mountain and was only able to raise the alarm because he was carrying a mobile phone.

It is illegal to ride motorbikes on common land and those who ride on the roads must comply with The Road Traffic Act 1988 and have documents, including driving licence, insurance, MoT certificate and tax.

The operation will also target bikers and Go-ped users, many just teenagers, who ride through pedestrianised streets causing noise nuisance and putting pedestrians in danger.

Inspector Jim Baker, from Cwmbran Police, said: "This is an essential part of the long-term strategy to deal with the problem.

"We are concerned about the environmental damage being caused to land, and also that the bikers are putting themselves and others in danger."

Offenders are first being issued with warnings and if they are found using their bike illegally again within two months, or if someone else is found using it, the bike will be seized.

A fee of £105 is required to reclaim a seized bike and those not reclaimed within seven days are destroyed.

A similar operation on Penyrheol mountain last month resulted in seven warnings being handed out and one seizure.

Inspector Baker said police were working with the Torfaen Community Safety Partnership to try to provide designated and regulated areas for bikers to enjoy their hobby.