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Parents warned against buying children e-scooters for Christmas as police crackdown on illegal use.

Alex Thompson: If you can legally ride one from a private company there's surely got to be something in the pipeline soon for personal use. Think it's a great way to get around the city for the future.

Matthew Kemp: The shops won't warn you, they are more than happy to take your money, knowing all to well they are illegal on UK roads and will be seized.

Mick Wardropper: Shops shouldn't be selling if illegal to use.

Michael Cavanagh: What's the difference between a e-bike and a e-scooter ? One is free the other Sunderland Council makes money. We can ride them around sea front and the surrounding areas including the Sunderland town. Is it one rule for one and another for another?

Tom Metcalf: E-bike uses an electric motor to assist whilst pedalling and will not operate on its own, e-scooter is not an assistant motor and operates on its own the same way a moped or motorcycle would therefore is subject to IVA, MOT, Insurance, licence etc.

Marc Stephenson: So basically if the council are not getting paid. It's not allowed.

John Reay: Not a fan of these, but if you can ride an e-bike on the road, then why not an e-scooter?

Chris Parry: It’s ridiculous. They’re either safe or they’re not.

‘As e-scooters do not have number plates or signalling ability and don’t always have visible rear lights, they can’t be used legally on the roads’.

Michael Wixie: They only wanting parents to not buy their own kids scooters so the council can keep on charging people for those hideous orange ones, the majority are broken from young one anyway.

Paul Hutchinson: The 'council approved' ones are fully insured and speed and location restricted, the B&M special are not. I think the solution is allow them IF they are insured and speed restricted like the orange hire ones.