Norfolk police have warned people not to buy e-scooters as Christmas presents saying they could land the receipient with a £300 fine or the loss of their licence.

Currently in the UK, e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act which means they are subject to the same laws as cars and other vehicles.

But privately owned e-scooters cannot be insured or registered as they are not deemed roadworthy, which means it is illegal to ride them anywhere but on private land.

Riding a privately owned e-scooter on public land, including roads and pavements, is an offence and can result in the seizure and destruction of the vehicle, fines of up to £300, penalty points or loss of license.

Roads and armed policing inspector, Simon Jones said: "We are not looking to criminalise riders unnecessarily, but we do have a responsibility to prevent collisions involving e-scooters, keep people safe and to enforce legislation.

"E-scooters pose a risk to their riders and other road users when they are not used safely and considerately. They have the ability to cause injury in the event of a collision.

"We had 18 incidents involving e-scooters in 2021 – more than one every three weeks. This indicates the growing risk that improper use of e-scooters can pose to both riders and the general public who they may come into contact with."