Baseball bat robbers knocked riders off their scrambler bikes

POLICE have appealed after robbers wielding a baseball bat and tree branch knocked two scrambler riders off their motorbikes and stole the vehicles in Runcorn.

Officers were called to Roemarsh Court in Hallwood Park at 7.30pm on Monday.

A Cheshire police spokesman said the two victims had been riding their off-road motorcycles on the path near the footbridge between Hallwood Park and Beechwood when they were ambushed.

The footbridge was, on Monday night, taped off at either end with a policeman guarding the scene following the incident.

Police said the victims were men aged 39 and 21. Both were injured. There have been no arrests. A North West Ambulance Service spokeswoman said paramed- ics were called at 7.31pm and arrived on scene at 7.36pm.

One patient was taken to Aintree Hospital and the other was taken to Warrington General Hospital.

She said both appeared to have suffered head injuries.

There was thick fog in the area on Monday evening with few residents out and about save for an occasional dog walker in the neighbourhoods at either side of the bridge.

Investigators are keen to hear from witnesses or anyone else with information that may assist their enquiries.

Discussing the incident, the police spokesman said: “It appears as though two unknown offenders have knocked them off their bikes with a baseball bat and tree branch and made off on the bikes.

“Anyone with information can call Cheshire police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting incident number 760 of January 23.”