Well, the Home Secretary John Reid has warned mini-motorbike riders that their machines or mini-motors could be confiscated and crushed in a national crackdown. Offenders could also find themselves with points on their driving licenses even if they are not old enough to currently hold one. Nick Marson explains.

They look like ordinary motorbikes from a distance, until you get up close to them and you realize they are just miniature versions of the real thing. These are called mini-motors and they are marketed as toys except they reach speeds of up to 16 miles an hour. There is no suspension. The majority bit is made of plastic and the police say that they are unsafe and dangerous.

So dangerous in fact that 7 people have died in mini-motor accidents in the last two years, five children and two adults. But this hasn't affected sales. In 2002, 10,000 were sold. Last year that rose to 100,000.

And one of the reasons why they're so popular is because they are so cheap. You can pick up a bike like this for as little as 100 pounds.

And with popularity brings problems, police have received thousands of complaints from the public this year and now those who ride them illegally on public roads and pavements can be served with anti-social behavior orders, fines or worse.

In an attempt to get to grips with the problem, the government got out the crashers today and warned mini-motor owners to curb their enthusiasm and stick to private roads and circuits or face losing their bikes to the scrapyard. Home Secretary John Reid handed 200,000 pounds to 28 areas to help fund the crushing programs. In Manchester today he was talking tough.

Don't buy one of these, unless you can guarantee that your child is or, or whoever is using that is gonna have access to a private club, or a private land, because otherwise then there will be fines, there will be penalties and they will be crushed.

Linda Bates' 18-year-old son John died when the mini-motor he was riding crashed into a metal fence. She is backing the government.
They are a death trap. John's left a great void in our lives. And he was my only son and there is nothing going to be replacing, but if they banned the bikes, at least some of the mothers are not gonna, go for angry for.

Today I met the minister for sport Richard Caborn, his dilemma is balancing the need for safety with the demand for organized facilities for those serious about racing.

If they are used properly off the road, properly controlled conditions, then it is gonna be good activity for kids but the one thing you can not is mix that with obviously the normal population on roads, on paths which is happening now, and that's dangerous.

The government's message today to parents, in the long term, however, could take some time to get through.

confiscate
To seize by or as if by authority. 沒收
scrapyard
廢品堆放場
death trap
危險場所