Two police officers have been issued off-road scramblers in a battle to beat tearaway bikers plaguing housing estates.

PC Darren Grimes and PC Paul Gossland, have taken ownership of the new trials machines, worth almost £2,000 each, to target bikers who race through Moulsecoomb and Whitehawk in east Brighton.

The 400cc bikes, which have been kitted out in high visibility police livery, have already proved successful battling biker crime.

The bikes were bought for the officers by eb4u (East Brighton For You) scheme, formerly the New Deal for Communities project.

PC Grimes, beat officer for Whitehawk, and PC Gossland, who covers Moulsecoomb, have been patrolling Sheepcote Valley, Brighton, Woollards Field, in Moulsecoomb and land off Haybourne Road and Whitehawk Hill.

We previously reported how under-age riders, with no tax or insurance, were riding without helmets, on pavements and on land where off-road biking is prohibited.

John Mitchell, community safety team leader for eb4u, said: "These bikes can be used on and off road and clearly part of their purpose will be to tackle some of the nuisance caused by motorbikes."

Mr Mitchell said one officer had already recovered three motorbikes, possibly stolen or illegally ridden, while on his new bike.