DOGGERS and pikers have returned to haunt a moorland beauty spot.

But the people - mainly men - who take part in the sordid sex antics in the outdoors or in vehicles are in for a shock.

Police, aware of the growing problem, have been carrying out surveillance in Scammonden area and have noted down hundreds of vehicle number plates.

Doggers are people who go to the countryside on the pretext of taking dogs for a walk - but instead have open air sex or sex in cars.

Pikers are people - often lone men - who go to watch the cavorting couples.

About 400 vehicles are on a database, many captured by a police vehicle equipped with a computer which automatically records the number and matches it to the Police National Computer.

Some are from works vans. And the police are now writing to the registered owners of the vehicles informing them where their vehicles have been seen and warning the drivers to stay away.

This means some employees will face tricky questions at work.

Car registrations which keep popping up in the area will also have letters sent out to their registered keepers.

These will sometimes be men's wives so they could face some angry women at home.

Under new legislation the police even have powers to seize cars which they believe are being used for illegal or anti-social activity.

The police have today given a stark message to people thinking of going to the area for sex - stay away or face the consequences - which could lead to prosecution.

That warning also goes for people thinking of going to take a look after reading this.

Some men go to Scammonden seeking sex with other men.

The problem is blighting the lives of people living in the Scammonden area.

Lone women walking their dogs have been followed by men and then subjected to verbal abuse when it becomes clear they are there innocently.

The problem is happening at all times of the day and night.

There was a suggestion recently that dogging and piking had been going on at Castle Hill, but no complaints have filtered through to the police.

Scammonden remains the main problem.

Chief Insp Jon Carter, of Kirklees Police's community safety department, said: "These people are causing harassment, distress and alarm.

"Residents living in the Scammonden area feel threatened and intimidated.

"People taking part in activities at Scammonden may well be committing offences ranging from public order to outraging public decency and we will now look to take positive action against them."

Warning letters are now been given to drivers of suspect cars going through the area warning them that police are tackling the problem.

This could also involve using the anti-social behaviour legislation.

Some doggers and pikers have been travelling from miles away.

Pc Richard Coldwell said: "We stopped one couple who admitted they parked in the car park at Scammonden three nights a week to enjoy the view.

"It was 10pm at night at the time.

"Another man reckoned he was not allowed to smoke cigars at home so drove all the way out to Scammonden instead."

People living in the area are battling back by and hope to attract families to the area along with people wanting to take part in painting, walking, cycling, sailing, classic car rallies and orienteering.

They are setting up a website called www.scammondenwardens.co.uk which will promote the valley and its heritage stretching back to long before the reservoir and M62 were built.

A spokesman for the residents - who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals - said: "If we challenge the people who are dogging and piking they say they are doing nothing wrong.

"But they are. They are causing alarm and distress to people who live here and we want to change the culture of the area.

"If decent people come here - coupled with tough police action - it will drive the doggers and pikers away."

Yorkshire Water corporate affairs manager Richard Sears said: "We will continue to work closely with the police and residents, but this is a very difficult problem to tackle.These are very determined people."

He said the toilet block at Scammonden car park has now been demolished and barriers put up - but they have already been damaged by the doggers and pikers.

EASTENDERS star Steve McFadden (right) and former Liverpool, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest footballer Stan Collymore (left) are famous `doggers'.

McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell, managed to save his TV job after having his antics exposed.

Collymore said depression and 'self- destructive curiosity' drove him to visit 'dogging' sites, where couples watch each other having sex.