BIKERS are being urged to help police put a brake on a growing joyride craze.

Cleveland Police receive thousands of complaints every year from across Teesside about tearaways on trail bikes roaring across playing fields and open spaces.

Police say a large number of the machines have been stolen.

Now they are appealing to motorbike enthusiasts to get their machines registered and security marked, to make it easier to trace the owner when a stolen bike is recovered.

DVLA officials and police officers are setting up a mobile registration unit this weekend.

Owners will be able to have frame and engine numbers logged on both police and DVLA computers .

Police say trails, motocross, enduro and quad bikes are stolen every year.

Because they are not registered on the DVLA computer, they are more difficult to trace.

Registration will take place at Christine House, opposite the TFM radio station, Teesdale, Stockton, on Saturday and Sunday.

Crime prevention officer Phil Taylor, from Safe In Tees Valley, said: "At present we are receiving in excess of 2,000 complaints a year of nuisance caused by off-road bikers riding illegally on open ground throughout the county.

"In most cases these bikes are obviously stolen but proving they belong to a particular person can be almost impossible.

"We would urge all owners to sign up to this and help us cut crime."

Smartwater marking kits, which help police trace a vehicle, will be on offer for £20.