UPDATE: Police close in on teen bike gang menacing drivers

A GANG of bike-riding youths are intimidating drivers in a spate of incidents in Worcester.

They have surrounded one woman's car and opened the passenger door next to her terrified daughter, blocked roads to cars in the city and shouted abuse at pedestrians.

The woman, who had her daughters aged five and two in the car, was ambushed on Bilford Road by four youths who began kicking and spitting at her car while shouting abuse.

They brought traffic to a standstill by riding out into the middle of the road - and could be responsible for several similar incidents across the city.

The 26-year-old, who asked not to be named, was travelling from the new Perdiswell Leisure Centre when she saw the group cycle straight into the road near the Premier shop on Thursday at 5.30pm.

She said: "They all darted in front of the traffic. Everyone came to a halt.

"They were shouting abuse at the cars, one managed to get past and my car was next.

"I was just about to lock the doors but they grabbed the handle and opened the passenger doors.

"My girls were screaming, they are only two and five.

"I was trying not to stall, trying to shut the doors and they were kicking the car and spitting at it, swearing, and scaring everyone.

"I didn't know what to do. I was trying to calm my kids down and the older one is still talking about it today."

All wearing black clothing and hats or with hoods up, she believes they were aged between 12 and 16.

She contacted police who said they would send a patrol car.

Police patrols will be looking to identify those involved and will be contacting schools.

Supt Kevin Purcell said: "We are now moving into half term, if you are parent please be aware of what your children are doing, these are described as young teenagers.

"They put themselves and others at risk.

"If caught committing public order offences they are likely to be dealt with in a manner that could result in a criminal record."

Another woman spotted eight youths aged between 12 and 15 at about 6.30pm on Rainbow Hill in the middle of the road preventing traffic from passing.

She said: "I managed to drive past them to be greeted with them making hands gestures and shouting abuse.

"It's very dangerous. There must have been around eight of them but it was hard to see due to the clothing.

"The bikes had no lights and they were in dark clothing.

"Rainbow Hill is a fairly busy road.

"Cars going past the chip shop were having to stay behind them because they were unable to get past and the children would try and swerve to block cars coming the other way."

Another mum said she was also surrounded by a group of teens while driving on Astwood Road near the cemetery last week.

"A group of four lads were cycling in middle of road, the car in front swerved to avoid them and then as I approached, one deliberately turned to face me head on in the road.

"I had to slam on my breaks and beeped the horn - then the rest shouted abuse at me and gave me the v's while I had my kids in the car.

"My mum said she also saw them yesterday [Thursday] at the Astwood Road roundabout outside the entrance to the cemetery.

"They were riding all over the roundabout deliberately holding up the drivers from each direction."

A man, who did not want to be named, believes he may have seen the gang later on Thursday evening.

“I was walking up Angel Street at about 7pm last night when I heard shouting and screaming as I passed the former Co-Op.

I walked up the road to see a gang of about eight youths on bicycles careering around the junction of Angel Street and Foregate Street.

They then blocked the road as a car tried to pass. They slowly made room as the car inched between them.

As I passed the youths, a couple of them were shouting and swearing at a woman who had come over to speak to them about their behaviour.

“I was shocked at the ages of the youths. One of the ringleaders looked very young.

“Their language was pretty offensive and they were very aggressive. They clearly would have intimidated some people.”