SILT ponds and miniaturised motorcycles could prove to be a lethal cocktail Teignbridge parents have been warned. The long-standing problem of the unauthorised use of sand extraction sites at Sandygate, Kingsteignton, by adult off-road motorcyclists has taken a deadly twist according to a Teignbridge councillor. Cllr Sandra Heath has discovered that the recent craze for mini motos – miniaturised motorbikes often given away free with mobile phones – could now be endangering the lives of children as well. 'The problem is these children find they have nowhere to ride them so they go up into Sands and Babcombe Copse where the undulating landscape is a real attraction but potentially very dangerous owing to the silt ponds there,' she said. 'There's every chance that a child is going to come flying down a hill, lose control and end up drowning in one of the ponds. 'We need to find a safe authorised site but for now we're back to parental control and the need to know where children are and what they're up to.' Landowner, Lord Clifford, described the silt ponds as 'quicksand' and said he had tried unsuccessfully for more than 20 years to prevent trespassers entering the area, although he pointed out that Hanson Aggregates was responsible for the ponds. In addition to the unsupervised children some adults, few of whom use safety gear, were now turning up in vans loaded with motorbikes he said. 'I've taken every measure possible from positioning large logs, installing wire fences and even planting gorse but they still manage to muscle through,' he explained. 'The Clifford Estates Company has alerted the police to the problem who have done their utmost but with restricted time and officers they can't always be there. 'What is so sad is that the people of Sandygate have been asking the Estate to make green the area and the number of trees we have planted is in to the thousands,' he said. 'Then the bikes go in and deliberately knock them down, the very wish and will of the people is being ignored.' Hanson Aggregates, which operates the sand extraction sites, was asked to comment but no one was available.