This is the moment a quad bike somersaults through the air after smashing into a parked car on a quiet residential street. The rider, apparently unharmed, jumps back on and speeds off with two other bikers in tow.
CCTV of the crash, which took place last Saturday afternoon, has been provided by the car's owner, who says the Duchy estate in Salford is being 'terrorised' by off-road bikers. He said: "It's a big problem. People are scared to let their kids play out on the street."
READ MORE:
The owner, who asked not to be named, suspects it will cost around £500 to fix the damage to the car. He said: "It's been going on for a few years, but it seems to have peaked recently. They're young lads - about 16-17.
"They're whizzing down the streets. You walk your dog on the playing fields and they come speeding past. It's intimidating."
Bob Hinder is the secretary of Bar Hill JFC. The club's 13 junior football teams play on the Duchy playing fields, but this year several games have had to be called off because bikers have damaged the pitches.
And, in the last three months, eight cars have been burnt out on the fields. He said: "It's been an ongoing battle, but in the 30 years I've been with the club, this last year has been the worse.
"They're doing doughnuts on the pitches. Even when the kids are training they're riding through the sessions trying to get a rise out of us.
"A couple of matches have to be be called off and we've had to award the points to the other teams, because the pitches have been damaged."
Mr Hinder says CCTV has been installed near the changing rooms, while gates are being put up to try stop the bikes getting on the pitches. But he fears the measures won't be enough.
He said: "We're fighting a losing battle. To be fair to the council, they are trying to do something about it, but the police just don't seem to have the resources to tackle it.
"The summer months are the worse. Some nights it looks like an organised rally is taking place.
"It's just relentless - we're getting overrun. The 80s and 90s were bad for this kind of thing, but it just seems to be coming back round again."
Local councillor Michael Pevitt said a refurbishment of the playing fields, playground and changing rooms, using section 106 'community money' from developers, was due to take place, which he hoped would include improved security measures.
He added: "There's been a few complaints. It's always been a problem. It tends to come in waves, but the quad bikes and scooters that we're seeing now are new.
"We will ask police for extra patrols and we're going to get CCTV put up in the area where they tend to congregate. And hopefully the new development on the playing fields will include some security measures too, because we don't want them wrecking that."
After Bonfire Night police in Salford shared images of two cars that been burnt-out on the playing fields, following reports they had been seen speeding around Kersal 'putting both pedestrians and other road users in great danger'. Police said the vehicles were reported to have been crashing into each other before being abandoned and torched.
In a statement on Facebook police said: "Today we picked up the pieces after a night of chaos. Some (insert your own word here) Individuals... decided to go for a joy ride causing the pictured results to two of the three vehicles shown.
"The vehicles were reported to be crashing into each other, which in any ordinary circumstances would have caused significant injuries. Two vehicles were found to be burnt out outside the playing fields on Duchy Road. If you are choosing to carry out this immature dangerous behaviour at the wheel, with or without injury you will be prosecuted...You are putting other people's lives in danger.
"To those who do not wish to report this behaviour, the standards you walk past are the standards you are willing to accept. This is your community. You have the opportunity to call these criminals out and make your streets safer. We're sick of this activity as much as you are so lets fill the cells together. This could be your car, this could result in the lives of your loved ones in danger."
Councillor Barbara Bentham, Salford's lead member for environment and community safety, said: “These dangerous and irresponsible vandals are spoiling the neighbourhood and stopping children enjoying sports and the council, Greater Manchester Police and housing association Salix Homes, which manages the estate, are determined to stamp that out.
"The council has added extra CCTV to the area and we have blocked off multiple places where cars and bikes could get onto the playing fields. We will be adding a new anti-vehicle gate at the entrance next to the football club building.
“GMP’s specialist bike enforcement team has been working in the area and Salix Homes have warned that any tenants involved in illegal off road biking are in breach of their tenancy and the landlord will not hesitate to take enforcement action.
“The community can help by passing on information about riders or where bikes are stored completely anonymously to Crimestoppers.”
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
