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THIS is the shocking moment a teenager put his life at risk by running in front of a motorbike on one of the city's busiest roads.

Footage captured on a helmet-cam shows three youths dash across the A50 close to the sliproad by the Meir tunnel as traffic thunders past.

And one youth in particular comes just inches from being struck after sprinting in front of the biker's path on the eastbound carriageway.

Now police are warning young people not to take dangerous shortcuts across the city's roads as thousands of youngsters start the summer break.

Officers have since identified one of the lads in the video and have visited the 15-year-old to dish out a stern lesson in road safety.

Inspector Phil Eaton, of Stoke South Local Policing Team, today labelled the clip as 'shocking'.

He said: “The young lad came very close to suffering a serious injury and it also could have resulted in the biker being hurt.

"We have been able to quickly identify the young lad involved and have been to speak to him and give him guidance.

"His parents were also shocked by the video.

“After seeing the footage, he can consider himself to be a very lucky young man."

The biker, who did not want to be identified by The Sentinel, uploaded the clip on social media on Sunday and it has since been viewed more than 78,000 times.

(Image: Mercury Press)

Neighbourhood officers and PCSOs will now be stepping up patrols near the stretch to speak to any youngsters spotted hanging around and warn them of the dangers.

The incident comes after police staged a crackdown following reports of youths lobbing rocks and using catapults to fire objects at cars on the dual carriageway.

Insp Eaton added: “Following these incidents we visited local schools to put on educational sessions. We also sent out PCSOs at key times to be a visible deterrent.

“Staffordshire Police remain committed to educating children around road safety and ensuring we stop any tragedies on our roads."

Motorist Chad Bloor had a brick hurled at his car by youths while he was travelling down the A50. The 27-year-old, of Blythe Bridge, was left with glass in his face and hands after the brick landed on his windscreen in Longton last April.

He said: “I have seen the video and kids just need to stay away from the A50. That lad could have killed himself."

Motorist David Elkin, who uses the A50 twice a day on his way to and from work, has seen youths preparing to run across the carriageway.

The 43-year-old, from Blythe Bridge, said: “I was coming up to the tunnel just the other day and I saw a teenager who was on the edge of the road and he looked to be eyeing up a gap in the traffic to run across.

“It is really dangerous and I can't believe kids are trying to get across the A50."

Councillor Debbie Wheeldon, who represents Meir South on Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “The youngsters need to know the A50 is not a playground.

“If any motorist hits one of them, they would never forgive themselves."