A FATHER hit by a moped has said he is just thankful it was him and not his three-year-old daughter.

Sean Sims, of Bluebell Close, Poolbrook said he was knocked over outside his house by a youngster riding a 50cc motorbike at full speed on the pavement.

Mr Sims, who suffered a sprained wrist and ankle, said: "If he'd hit my little girl she would have been flattened. She would have been a mess."

He said he thought youngsters, who look between 11 and 16, had been using their bikes on the Guarlford Road for the past year. No-one under 16 is allowed to ride any 50cc vehicle.

Mr Sims believes they use his road as a throughway to nearby fields or Pound Bank. He said the bikes have no lights and their drivers rarely wear crash helmets.

Mr Sims said that the number of youngsters on the bikes is on the up.

"Every time you go out there's someone else riding around - it seems to be catching on," he said.

"I got run over but how long will it be before someone gets seriously hurt?"

Police officers, alerted by Mr Sims, found one boy who admitted riding a moped, but not in the area of Bluebell Close. They spoke to his parents about him not wearing protective headgear while on the bike.

They also confirmed that although Mr Sims could not give officers a description of the offender, he felt he would be able to identify him again.

However, Sergeant Werner de Sondberg, of Malvern Police, said: "A name has been determined and officers will be making enquiries.

"Anyone found to be causing harassment to communities in this way are reported to the community safety department, so that their behaviour can be monitored by the Anti Social Beh-aviour Order officers."