WEST Fifers are being advised to contact police with as much information as possible as efforts continue to tackle the problem of youths riding off-road bikes in the area.

The growing number of incidents was raised at a meeting of Fife Council's South and West Fife area committee.

Councillor David Barratt said: "It seems to be a growing issue. We have had a lot of complaints about Dalgety Bay and Inverkeithing particularly, riding at speed along the coastal path through woodland paths and down to Ballast Bank at Inverkeithing."

Rosyth, said councillor Brian Goodall, is another place which is experiencing problems with the vehicles being ridden anti-socially.

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"I wanted to highlight that bikes are an issue in the Rosyth ward as well," he stated. "We often have reports of issues with all types of bikes. It does seem to be an ongoing issue."

Police Scotland Inspector Cheryl Young said off road bikes are proving a problem across Fife and beyond.

"There are particular issues around pursuing any bike and that is not something we can do for the safety of the rider and the safety of the public," she told councillors.

"It makes it difficult to identify and catch the person responsible. What would help us is giving us as much detail as possible – even if you don't know the identity of the riders, the colour of the bikes, any description of the bike, any description of clothing worn.

"If we can follow that up retrospectively, when they are safely off their bikes we can visit them later at home."

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Fife Council's safer communities lead officer, Mike Collins, said they were also working to stem the problem.

"In relation to off road motorcycles, it is important that members of the public do report all the incidents and they can give as much information as they can," he added.

"Description of the motorbikes, description of the people riding the motorbikes, ages, clothing, where it is actually happening, what time of the day it is happening.

"In terms of our patrols, we can put officers in a particular area and hopefully support the police as eyes and ears but it would really sit with the police to deal with the road traffic legislation to deal with that side of things."