Residents fear a child could be killed if something is not done to stop nuisance bikers.

The young riders are causing misery in residential streets around Swanscombe, by driving on the pavement, forcing pedestrians to jump out of their way, and revving their engines at unsociable hours.

Claire Pearce, Dartford borough councillor for Swanscombe, said: “Children are being woken up at 10pm and 11pm at night.

“It’s like having a wasp constantly buzzing in your head. It is all hours of the day and night.”

And she fears it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt.

“They are going at dangerous speeds up and down the alleyways,” she said.

“It’s so dangerous. There is going to be a serious accident soon. I don’t know what they are thinking.”

After hearing a string of complaints from angry residents, Cllr Pearce said she feels they are terrorising the community.

“It’s a nightmare,” she added. “We need the police to come and sort this out.”

She said the bikes were even racing around Manor Community Primary in Keary Road, as the children were being collected at the end of the school day.

“Someone is going to be knocked down soon,” she said.

The issue is affecting residents in roads including Manor Road, Gunn Road and Keary Road, but fellow Dartford councillor for Swanscombe Emma Ben Moussa said people are reluctant to report it as they feel nothing will be done.

It’s like having a wasp constantly buzzing in your head

She said: “Most of the time we find people don't report it and they end up reporting to me and my fellow councillor Claire Pearce instead.”

She added: “I believe the police have issued a Section 59 to one person but they need to be on the scene to catch them.”

A Section 59 warnings are used by police to tackle vehicles which are causing distress, alarm or annoyance and being used in an anti-social manner including driving elsewhere than a road and driving carelessly.

Kat Langley, of Keary Road, said: “These children are underage and riding illegally on off-road bikes with no care or consideration for anyone on the pathways and around the streets.

“They will seriously injure or kill somebody soon if nothing is done about them.”

She said she had a run in with the youths last Friday when she was out walking her dogs with a friend.

“These two kids drove their bikes at speed down the alleyway straight at us,” she said.

“Then the one on the red bike drove back and did a rear wheel burnout right in front of us. Our dogs were absolutely petrified.”

While Suzanne Sherwood, of Alamein Road, in Swanscombe, said she and her 12-year-old were nearly knocked down as they walked along the footpath between Ebbsfleet Business Park and Stanhope Road.

“We were walking on the donkey path and nearly got taken out by a teenager on a little red hair dryer.”

A spokesman for the police said: “Just after 9.30pm on Tuesday, June 13 2023, Kent Police was called to a report of a nuisance vehicle in Gunn Road, Swanscombe.

It’s a nightmare. We need the police to come and sort this out

“Officers attended and issued a teenager with a Section 59 (S59) warning which encourages drivers to use their vehicle responsibly and in appropriate places. Failure to comply with a S59 notice may result in vehicle seizure.”

Inspector Nicholas Grainger, of the Dartford Community Safety Unit, said: “Kent Police takes all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously. Our neighbourhood beat officers are available to listen to community concerns and continue to work with partners to resolve matters such as these.

“We are working hard to tackle this issue and have already issued a S59 warning to one driver.”