Off-road police bikes will continue to patrol parts of Wharfedale, Aireborough and Horsforth thanks to new funding.

The Outer North West Area Committee has allocated £4,540 to the Off Road Bike Project to cover the lease and fuel costs of the vehicles.

West Yorkshire Police operates the bikes in conjunction with the Parkswatch service, Youth Service and other partner organisations around the North West Leeds Division of the Neighbourhood Policing area.

They will help the police to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in parks and other green spaces in the Otley & Yeadon, Adel & Wharfedale, Horsforth and Guiseley and Rawdon wards.

Councillor Barry Anderson (Con, Adel & Wharfedale), who sits on the area committee, said: “I welcome the additional funding that is going into the project.

“The off-road bikes are extremely effective in providing high visibility patrols in green spaces where police cars cannot patrol and police on foot cannot get to quickly.

“Everyone deserves the right to a peaceful existence without anti-social behaviour getting in the way and the bike patrols can help combat a lot of anti-social behaviour issues. Now that the bikes have been operating for a while their riders are familiar with the hotspots and the times of the year that trouble occurs.

“The bikes have also been involved in major police operations to tackle drug abuse and metal theft, and in enforcing residents only access to roads.”

The money was awarded from the committee’s Wellbeing Fund and works out at each of the wards providing £1,135.