Police are cracking down on a craze which is driving residents to despair.

Noisy and potentially dangerous mini motorbikes are causing misery for residents on Brighton estates, especially in Woodingdean.

A police spokeswoman said: "We have been repeatedly warning people and now it is time to act."

Posters are going up and leaflets are being distributed in Woodingdean.

They advise riders that they must wear helmets, hold a driver's licence, be insured and the vehicle must be registered, taxed and roadworthy.

The spokeswoman said: "Anyone not meeting any of these requirements will be prosecuted."

Some residents complained the bikes were being ridden on pavements, narrowly missing pedestrians.

Others said the bikes were keeping them awake at night.

One woman said: "They come along here every evening until late and with no crash helmets. The noise is horrendous. These children are 12 or 13 years of age. What are they doing out at that time of night?"

Passengers have been seen clinging on to riders as the bikes swerve across the road.

Police are worried it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.

The spokesman said: "It is inconsiderate and aggravating for others when these machines are ridden in totally unsuitable locations.

"Elderly people or young children are unlikely to be able to get out of the way in time and could easily be hit by one of these bikes."

They asked the public to note offending bike registrations and pass them to police.

The spokeswoman said: "Bikes can be confiscated and it costs £100 to get them back."

Two bikes have been confiscated in Brighton and Hove in the past four months and problems have been reported across Sussex.

Crawley police said they were receiving up to ten complaints a day and had confiscated 15 bikes.

Inspector Mark Piper, of Crawley police, said: "The worst example I have seen this summer was a man caught riding a mini moped without documents or a helmet."