ANGRY residents are to be granted a reprieve when a pioneering scheme is launched to take bikers away from homes and housing estates.

Homeowners who live near Fennels Wood or the Oakwood Estate, Flackwell Heath, say that youngsters on trial bikes are causing noise pollution, driving at excessive speed and causing risk to life and limb.

Brian Day, clerk of Chepping Wycombe Parish Council, said over the 14 years he has worked for the council he has seen numerous complaints from people disturbed by the noise of bikers near their homes and there have been accusations that the youngsters have behaved in an intimidating manner.

Mr Day said: "It is a problem we have had with youngsters riding through there for years. If you have got footpaths there fundamentally anyone on a motorbike can get through. Of course you cannot block footpaths or bridleways.

"Some of the people using motorbikes tend to be abusive when challenged. They drive too fast and a number of people walking in the woods have had bad experiences with these riders."

But following meetings between the police, parish council and bikers, Skidz, a motor project for young people, is planning to create a dirt bike club, providing bikes and routes for the youngsters to use away from homes where they could create a disturbance.

The scheme will be based in High Wycombe and the riding would be done under Autocycle Union guidelines, the governing body for off-road motorbikes. It is hoped it will start in two months and interest has already been shown from people aged from seven to over 50.

Steve Godfrey, project manager of Skidz, said: "We are going round getting backing from various people which at the moment is very forthcoming. We have got some tracks already sorted out. The problem is we can't use them because of the foot and mouth.

"At the moment there are just not the places for local kids and adults to ride their motorbikes."

Mr Godfrey added: "We want to be able to offer a club environment so that people can meet and discuss motorbikes."

Mr Day said: "It is sort of encouraging the hobby, giving them something practical to do rather than hanging around street corners, rather than getting into problems like vandalism."

Mr Godfrey added: "It won't completely eliminate the problem but it will help."