A plain-clothed police officer in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, was filmed making a flying tackle to bring down a man riding an illegally modified e-bike after he evaded several uniformed officers who had tried to stop him. The incident, which took place last week, highlights growing police efforts to clamp down on illegally boosted e-bikes, which can travel well beyond the legal speed limit and pose safety risks on public roads.

Tests on the seized bike showed it could reach speeds of 23mph, exceeding the legal limit of 15.5mph for e-bikes without a licence or insurance. The rider has been reported for failing to stop, driving without a licence and without insurance. Police confiscated 7,049 illegal e-bikes across England in the 12 months to 19 May, almost double the 3,858 seized the previous year, with some modified bikes reportedly capable of speeds exceeding 70mph.