Police in Ellesmere Port will now carry a unique crime-fighting tool in a bid to deter youths from riding scrambler bikes anti-socially.

The SelectaDNA forensic coding spray enables police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) to mark riders and their bikes and trace them back to anti-social behaviour at a later date.

The sprays consist of an invisible dye, which marks the skin, clothing and bike and officers can then use specialist lighting to identify offenders and link them to a specific incident using a unique DNA code.

Anyone found to have been marked by one of the sprays or owning a scrambler bike that has been sprayed faces prosecution and if a scrambler bike is found to have been sprayed on more than one occasion it will be permanently seized by the police.

Sergeant Paul Davis, of Ellesmere Port Local Policing Unit, said: “There is a growing problem of youths riding scrambler bikes in an anti-social manner in the town.

“The anti-social use of these bikes is not only dangerous but also affects the wellbeing of the community.

“The escalation of incidents in Ellesmere Port culminated in a woman being knocked down in the town recently – an incident that we are currently investigating.

“We are committed to tackling the problem, working tirelessly to identify and prosecute the individuals responsible for this sort of behaviour, and the new sprays will help us to do this."

He added: "The SelectaDNA sprays will mark the riders and bikes for a significant period of time and enable us to trace and prosecute them.

“Local officers and PCSOs will be in possession of the sprays ready for deployment as and when needed.”

A dedicated team of officers will be targeting scrambler bike offenders in Ellesmere Port over the next week and anyone found to be flouting the law will be dealt with accordingly.

Sergeant Davis added: “PCSOs and officers on off-road bikes will be patrolling the town and anyone found to be flouting the law will be dealt with accordingly.

“The officers will be carrying the new sprays, which are now a permanent part of officers’ armoury in Ellesmere Port.

“They can be used to spray offenders riding past officers on scrambler bikes with proof that they have committed anti-social behaviour.

“We hope the fact that officers and PCSOs in Ellesmere Port now have the sprays will deter youths from riding scrambler bikes in an anti-social manner in the town.

“Any youths found to have been sprayed with them will be prosecuted.”

Anyone with information regarding youths riding scrambler bikes in an anti-social manner should contact Cheshire police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.