Frustrated Bedfont residents will be delighted to hear that police are launching a zero-tolerance crackdown on anti-social motorcyclists who race around The Pits.

The neglected area of scrubland next to Bedfont Industrial Estate has been plagued by noisy, illegal motorcycle racing for over a decade, causing misery for nearby residents.

But now police have promised to clamp down on the offenders by confiscating bikes from anyone caught with a motorcycle in the area.

Inspector Dave Henfrey, of Feltham Police, said: "In the past, we have been warning motorcyclists. This has not worked and The Pitts' popularity is growing. So, we are getting tough and using our powers of confiscation.

"Any motorcyclist caught will have to pay £105 to get it back. The longer they leave it, the higher the fine. If they do not re-claim it, it will be destroyed. We hope this initiative will reassure residents that we do take this problem seriously and are committed to reducing this behaviour."

The announcement follows a serious moped accident last week that left a 14-year-old with a badly broken jaw. 

On May 1 Heathland School pupil Jugbinder Rai was thrown from a friend's bike after hitting a brick and broke his jaw in two places. He was taken to West Middlesex Hospital where his jaw was pinned back together and needed three days of treatment before he could return home.

His mother, Karmjit Rai, is anxious to warn other youngsters to keep away from the area, which seems to have grown in popularity in recent months.

"He's very lucky to be alive," she said. "I don't think they should be riding those bikes at all and they should definitely keep away from The Pits."