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A man whose wife was killed by a scrambler has challenged dissident republicans after they called on black taxis to ditch a PSNI campaign to highlight dangers associated with the off road vehicles.

Seamus Armstrong asked the Republican Network for Unity group how the police should tackle the problem of illegal use of scramblers which is seen as a major issue in West Belfast.

Mr Armstrong's wife Valerie was killed last year after being hit by a scrambler as she walked her dog in the Colin Glen Forest area.

She left three young children behind.

Before and after her death, a number of community reps and the police have been working to tackle the issue.

However, a publicity drive by the PSNI with a message calling on people to ring them "to report off road bikes in your area" has been slated by RNU.

The message appeared on the side of black taxis in a move the group described as "collaboration with the discredited PSNI".

The RNU says they have been told the West Belfast Taxi Association has now reversed the decision to carry the message.

In a post on their Facebook page, RNU Beal Feirste described the move as a "small victory for the people of West Belfast and beyond who overtly displayed their disgust at this insensitive practice".

The response to the police scrambler message follows a similar pattern to other efforts by the PSNI to engage in nationalist areas that have been met with resistance by dissident groups.

However, in a comment posted on the RNU Facebook page Seamus Armstrong praises the black taxis for carrying the message.

He said: "Can someone tell me where exactly would be an appropriate place to advertise this message, because I for one support the taxi driver and the taxi association in taking the Lead in getting this message across to the wider west Belfast community.

"My wife in all her years working in the city centre used black taxis daily and a lot of the drivers would remember her.

"So I for one applaud their initiative in stepping forward not backward in the fight against illegal off road vehicle use."

Other comments on the page, however, praise the RNU for challenging the police.

No-one appears to have answered Mr Armstrong's question on the page.

The police ads have also appeared on billboards.