Owners of the tiny machines...

Owners of the tiny machines are causing havoc across Britain, and local councils have received hundreds of complaints about them. Now, tearaway teens who ride illegally could soon find the brakes being put on their activities.

Mini bikes are banned from public highways, but reckless owners often flout this rule, reaching up to 40mph around community parks and racing through residential streets, says the Local Government Authority (LGA). There has been a 20-fold increase in the number of the mini-motos - to more than 144,000 - in five years. Scores of accidents have been reported, and four riders killed. The LGA is urging councils to work with police to seize and even crush bikes used illegally, and serve ASBOs and noise notices on persistent offenders. Coventry Council alone has already impounded around 80 machines.