Police are cracking down on off-road bikers who have been riding illegally around various forests in Aberdeenshire.
Walkers and visitors to woods including Fetteresso, Durris and Drumtochty have complained about bikers behaving antisocially in the area, particularly at the weekends.
The Forestry Commission has also raised its concerns.
Now police have launched an operation to tackle the problem, and will be carrying out high visibility patrols of the areas and talk with residents about their concerns about the driving standards of the bikers.
They will also be cracking down on riders caught with no insurance or driving vehicles anywhere other than a road.
Constable Fay Macleod said: “This type of antisocial behaviour is not only illegal, but also dangerous and can cause significant disruption and distress to other members of the public and animals.
“Many people derive great pleasure from the natural beauty which the north-east has and it is unfortunate that some people spoil this through their selfish actions.
“The owners and users of these off-road vehicles may not realise that many of the laws and regulations which apply to normal road vehicles also apply to them. The matter of not having the landowners’ permission, not having a driving licence, motor insurance and a test certificate are ones which officers will encounter if people are not education on the use of these machines.”
She urged anyone with information about the illegal use of off-road motorcycles to come forward.
She was echoed by Calum Murray, of the Forestry Commission Scotland, who said: “We can’t be everywhere all the time and the eyes and ears of the public will be a great help in tackling this anti-social behaviour.
“On no account should anyone place themselves at risk by tackling these bikers but a timely phone call to report an incident could make all the difference to helping nip this in the bud.”