Underage e-bike rider 'lost control and skidded off' when he tried to evade police in Penwortham
“One rider managed to get away, but his mate wasn’t quite so fortunate.”
An underage rider of a Surron bike was caught when he tried to escape police in Penwortham.
Following reports over several weeks about Surron bikes - high-performance electric dirt bikes - being ridden dangerously on roads, pavements and footpaths, police decided to spend some time in the Pope Lane area.
They spotted two riders wearing balaclavas ‘flying straight towards’ their marked police van.
A police spokesperson said: “On spotting us, they suddenly decided they didn’t fancy a chat and attempted a U-turn.
“One rider managed to get away, but his mate wasn’t quite so fortunate.
“Thanks to a rear tyre that had seen better days, he lost control and skidded off,right in front of us.”
The rider was detained and searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, however nothing was found but it quickly became apparent that he wasn’t old enough to hold a driving licence, had no insurance and wasn’t wearing an approved crash helmet.
“Just to clear up a common misconception,” the police said, “a balaclava isn’t protective headgear.”
The rider was reported for summons for:
• Riding otherwise than in accordance with a licence
• Riding without insurance
• Riding without protective headgear
The bike was seized.
“Thank you to those who have raised concerns about these bikes over the past few weeks.
“Your information helps us target the right areas, and yesterday it certainly paid off.
“We’ll continue to target those using off-road bikes antisocially across South Ribble, so if you’ve got information, please keep it coming by reporting this online.”