THE number of bikers riding on a heritage site in Middlewich is on the decline after police stepped up their patrols.

Congleton Community Action Team has received numerous reports of bikers riding mini mopeds and motor cross bikes across the site of a Roman fort at Harbutt's Field.

According to police officers and town councillors, the bikers have been disturbing the field and causing neighbours in Coriander Close to complain about the noise levels.

But PC Alison Wright says that since the problem was raised in the Guardian the number of incidents has reduced. PC Wright said: "Quite a lot of people have come up to me and the town council saying they didn't know they weren't allowed to use the field for bike riding.

"We've had nothing over the weekend, it's been very quiet."

But PC Wright said the CAT team is keen to continue dealing with the problem and that officers are working on a policy for the Cheshire force which will allow them to clamp down on the anti-social use of vehicles.

She said: "What we generally do is give a verbal warning, then on a second occasion a notice is given and on the third the vehicle can be seized.

"It does not have to be the same person using the vehicle on separate occasions."