Pensioner Amenea Barnett is calling for action to stop young motorcyclists tearing through a quiet cul-de-sac in Calne before someone gets hurt.

She says youths regularly speed through Honeymead on motorbikes and mopeds, and Mrs Barnett, 93, said residents have had enough.

“This is a street full of elderly people,” she said. “It is a footpath, not a road, and it really aggravates me that these young people are not keeping to the law.

“I suffer from sciatica and cannot get up quickly enough to see who the boys are. I once managed to get up and tell one of them off, but he gave me a mouthful and carried on.”

The youngsters ride along the footpath between Oxford Road and Prince Charles Drive as early as 5am and as late as midnight.

“It is very noisy but the thing that worries me the most is the mothers coming through with young children,” said Mrs Barnett, who has lived on Honeymead for 26 years.

“There is a no cycling sign at the top of the road. Surely you are not allowed to ride a motorbike through if you cannot cycle down the path.

“We are all elderly people living here. If one of us came out of our gate and did not see a bike coming you never know what could happen.

“This is a peaceful area and we just want something done about these youngsters who are breaking the law.”

Most of the bungalows are occupied by elderly people who feel they cannot go out alone for fear of being hit by a motorbike. Gladys Reeves said: “I am almost blind and I think it would be very frightening if one of them whizzed past on a bike.

“We are not able to move quickly enough to avoid being hit and something needs to be done before there is an accident.”

Police officers in Calne are aware of the problem and urge anyone who knows the youths to come forward.

PC Hans Monahan said: “At this moment in time police have not had these youths identified. If anyone can give information as to the identity of these youths we would urge them to contact us.

“We get a number of complaints in that area. It seems there is a collection of youths who disregard the law and use motorbikes and mopeds on footpaths to the detriment of safety to others.”