Almost 100 people were caught illegally riding electric scooters in London this week as the Metropolitan Police staged its first operation targeting the machines.

The majority of riders received a warning but 10 were fined and had their scooters seized due to aggravating factors such as speeding or breaking red lights.

A spokeswoman for the Met said the force has been focusing on policing motorised-scooters since April but launched designated checkpoints for the first time this week.

It comes following the death of TV presenter and Youtuber, Emily Hartridge. The 35-year-old was struck by a lorry in Battersea while riding her e-scooter on July 12, making her the first person in the UK to be killed while riding an e-scooter.

The following day a 14-year-old boy suffered a serious head injury after crashing into a bus stop in Beckenham, south-east London.

One of the riders caught during Friday's operation, David Carboni, said it was "a little bit shocking" to be given a warning.

An e-scooter rider pushes his e-scooter after being stopped by a police officer in Islington credit: Yui Monk/PA

"They're such good vehicles for the city. They're reducing congestion, they're reducing pollution. You really want to be able to have something like this to use,” Mr Carboni, who bought his e-scooter last week, said.

Chief Superintendent, Colin Wingrove head of roads and transport policing at the Metropolitan Police said the public must be made aware of the risks associated with e-scooters which are only authorised for use on private land and are banned from being ridden on pavements and roads.

He led an operation at a busy Islington junction in North London on Friday morning during which three riders were stopped and issued with warnings.

Mr Wingrove said legalising public e-scooter use “is not as easy as flicking a switch”.

"For the time being, we'll educate the public, advise, and where we need to we will take enforcement action,” he said.