Police in Mansfield have put six off-road bikers on notice that their vehicles will be seized if they continue to ride illegally on private land.
Officers from Mansfield visited an area of land commonly referred to as 'The Desert' on Sunday, June 5 after concerns from walkers, residents and landowners.
The Desert, a sandy area of land near the Oak Tree Lane Estate, has been a popular destination for off-road vehicle enthusiasts for many years, but they are not legally allowed on the site – primarily because of its proximity to sites of special scientific interest.
Officers using a Nottinghamshire Police Land Rover visited the site on Sunday afternoon and issued six riders with Section 59 warning notices, which give police the power to seize vehicles if they seen being driven or ridden in an antisocial manner again.
Sergeant Andy Doran, of Nottinghamshire Police said: "It is important that people realise that riding bikes in The Desert is no longer allowed.
"This is an area rich in wildlife that is understandably popular with walkers.
"People who drive noisy, high powered vehicles around the area are disrupting that wildlife and also causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to private land.
"We also know that many of the people who access this site do so by riding and driving untaxed, uninsured vehicles on the roads and along public footpaths. This is simply not something we can allow.
"People consistently tell us that they are worried by the inappropriate use of off-road bikes and we have a duty to respond to those concerns. We issued six notices to people on Sunday and will seize their bikes if we catch them riding illegally again."
