Police are urging parents to remove mini-motos, quad bikes and motorcycles from their children's Christmas lists amid fears someone could be killed.

Peterlee police are targeting rogue riders after complaints from residents concerned about noisy off-road bikers driving dangerously through their communities.

It comes after the Mail, which launched a Stop Mini Moto Madness campaign, reported how Paul Forsyth, from North Road East, Wingate, was caught driving a quad bike near former railway track near Bridge Road, in Shotton Colliery, on September 20, with a young child clinging to the handlebars.

Forsyth, 24, who was more than three times over the drink-drive limit, is due to be sentenced at Durham Crown Court on Friday, December 5.

In another incident, a banned driver tried to get away from police after he was caught riding a quad bike on a footpath with a child sitting on the handlebars.

Police spotted Mark Hadfield, 32, of Falkirk Road, Hartlepool, when he took a shortcut home via a path in Wynyard Road in the town accompanied by a child who was perched on the bike.

He was fined and given a curfew by magistrates.

Police have given out more than 100 warning notices to off-road bikers in the past 12 months, with the number of complaints from residents coming in on a regular basis.

Officers fear they will feature highly on youngsters' Christmas wish-lists.

Inspector Paul Harrison said: "We do target this problem and we are having success in relation to identifying the people concerned and issuing warning notices and also seizing bikes and crushing them.

"There is the possibility that if these youths are cutting across footpaths to get to waste land, there could be an accident."

The latest figures show that 108 warning notices have been given to motorcycle, quad and mini-moto riders in the Easington area since the beginning of 2008.

The notices, which last for 12 months, are issued by police to people driving anti-socially. This includes riding in areas where they don't have permission, doing wheelies and driving on pavements or cycle paths.

If a rider receives two notices within 12 months their bike is seized.

Since the beginning of the year 23 have been seized in the Easington area.

Insp Harrison said: "We are appealing to parents this year not to buy off-road quads or if they do to make sure that they are fully supervised.

"We are advising that parents and guardians are encouraged to pay a role and take a responsibility for kids' behaviour and if necessary they can be told to do this through legislation."

"Illegal use of a mini mopeds could mean that you are banned from driving even though you don't have a driving licence yet. The magistrates have the power to ban you from getting a licence when you are able to do so."