A BID to curb illegal off-road driving and motorcycling on moorland tracks is being stepped up in the North York Moors National Park.

Karl Gerhardsen, the park's recreation and access officer, said park rangers were patrolling areas known to be used by the drivers and providing police with intelligence and witness statements.

Motorcyclists are especially ignoring traffic regulation orders on the Cleveland Way over Black Hambleton.

Four quad bike riders were caught on the moorland paths at Sheepwash, near Osmotherley, and their owners loaded them back onto a trailer and moved on when challenged by a ranger, said Mr Gerhardsen.

They were later stopped by police.

"Other incidents have been reported across the park, including a party of motorcyc-lists riding off-road through the National Trust property at Newton," said Mr Gerhardsen.

The park authority is working with the Auto Cycle Union which has published a strategy for off-road motorcycling