THE site of a proposed football pitch has become a haunt for youths on motorbikes as the saga over its future drags on.

The land at Tindale Crescent, near Bishop Auckland, had been earmarked as the new home of Bishop Auckland FC, until the purchase fell through last year.

While the club attempts to thrash out a new deal with Durham County Council and other parties, the 13-acre site is empty and attracts gangs of teenagers on motorbikes and mopeds.

PC Ian Nelson has spoken about the problem at recent meetings with Tindale Crescent and St Helen Auckland's residents' associations.

He said he had written to the county council, which owns the land, asking it to plough the land to deter the bikers.

He said anybody caught riding on the land will be warned, and if they are found there again, their bikes may be confiscated. "We can't be there all the time but where we can, we will be down there," he vowed.

Ken Pearson, the county council's head of corporate estates, said discussions about the sale of the land were ongoing.

He said: "We have received an approach from the West Auckland beat officer to rough plough the land, to prevent motorcycle use of the land. We are considering all reasonable options to help prevent this type of use."