An angry mum says a takeaway delivery rider almost knocked down her son on the pavement – then gave her a ‘V’ sign when she complained.

Caterer Jenka Levytska-Swinyard says she was walking with eight-year-old Theodore when he narrowly avoided being hit by the scooter in Canterbury.

The near-miss in St Dunstan’s has been reported to police, who this week have been patrolling the city “tackling anti-social and nuisance moped riders”.

Mrs Levytska-Swinyard and her son had been out delivering homemade cakes at the time of the unsavoury incident.

“I am furious,” she said.

“I was walking with my boy when suddenly a delivery scooter came around the corner on the pavement, nearly hitting him.

“[The rider] stopped and I asked what the hell he was doing and said he should be on the road, not the pavement.

“But he was very rude and aggressive and just kept repeating: ‘Well, I didn’t hit him, did I?’

“I said that wasn’t the point, but he was unnecessarily rude and blatantly out of order.”

Mrs Levytska-Swinyard, who lives in Queen’s Avenue, says her son was scared by the ordeal and the subsequent row with the scooter rider.

“He was saying ‘Leave it, Mum’ but I had to tell the rider that his behaviour was not acceptable and he was putting the safety of pedestrians at risk,” she said, adding that she has now reported the incident to police.

The scooter rider’s delivery box was branded with the logo of a restaurant in Dorset, which said it had no connection to the rider or the vehicle.

A manager told KentOnline the container would have been one of many given out by Honda as part of a marketing campaign it was part of years ago.

Canterbury City Council’s cabinet member for safety, Connie Nolan, says she expects the rider to be identified and spoken to about his behaviour.

“This is exactly the sort of incident we are trying to stop,” she said.

“This poor mum and child must have been scared and alarmed by it and I have asked her to contact me directly so that I can pursue it.”

Responding to Mrs Levytska-Swinyard’s post about the incident on social media, Antony Caplin said: “There are way too many delivery riders both on motor and pushbikes.

“They have no regard for pedestrians or the law. It's only a matter of time before something truly terrible happens. Don't get me started about the amount riding bikes late at night with no lights.”

The incident on Thursday, January 18, highlights the issue of alleged “reckless” riding by some food delivery riders in the city, which the city council is now cracking down on with its new Public Space Protection Order.

It covers anti-social behaviour by delivery riders, including aggressive driving or riding, dangerous manoeuvres, excessive noise and danger to other road users – including pedestrians). Now anyone found to have breached the order can be fined £100.

The city council, together with police and the Canterbury Business Improvement District group, is also organising training sessions for delivery riders to drive home the message of responsible behaviour.

New parking areas for riders are also being identified so they do not have to travel up and down the high street so frequently on their machines.

Deputy council leader Michael Dixey (Lib Dem), who represents the city centre’s Westgate ward, has long-held concerns about delivery bicycles and mopeds riding dangerously along pedestrianised streets.

“It’s becoming a little bit like the wild west out there, particularly in the evenings, with the scooters and the other deliveries racing about, because they’re under big-time pressure, “ he says.

“We can't stop it, it’s a matter of regulating it,” he said, adding: “But hopefully the training sessions will help.”

This week, police officers from Canterbury's Community Safety Unit, working with parking enforcement officers from the city council have been working in the city centre tackling anti-social and nuisance moped riders.

On Wednesday, a moped was seized and its rider fined for riding without insurance and three vehicles were issued with parking fines.

The following day, officers issued a fine to a delivery driver who had driven his moped on the pavement.

Regarding the near-miss reported by Mrs Levytska-Swinyard, a police spokesman said: “Local officers have been made aware of the incident.”

Previously, Toby Allen, who couriers for Deliveroo, told KentOnline that some workers “drive like lunatics”.

He agreed there was a problem when council bosses launched a consultation last year into a potential crackdown on rogue couriers.

Mr Allen says he understands why the authority wants to tackle the issue of riders breaking rules in the city centre and potentially endangering pedestrians.

Bicycles are currently only permitted in the pedestrianised high street after 4pm, while mopeds and motorcycles are banned at all times without a permit.

But residents have reported a number of near-misses with the powered vehicles, sparking calls for tougher enforcement.

“It doesn’t surprise me - some of them drive like lunatics,” said Mr Allen.

“I do ride my bike down the high street but I’m careful when I’m doing it - some guys are just thinking about the next drop.

“I think to be honest we’ve already got a bad name. I don’t think we’re very popular with residents until they want their food delivered, and then they’re fans.”