Police in Texas are investigating after footage emerged allegedly showing one of their officers pepper spraying passing motorcyclists. The clip, which has been viewed nearly 500,00 times since it was posted online on 14 March, appears to show the Forth Worth Police officer spraying an unknown substance towards the bikers on the side of the motorway.

The video was captured by a GoPro worn by one of the bikers, who then uploaded the clip on to YouTube. Fort Worth Police confirmed the officer in question, named locally as W Figueroa, has been placed on desk duty pending the investigation.

A spokesperson added: "The Fort Worth Police Department takes any complaint of officer misconduct very seriously and this incident will be investigated thoroughly."

Chase Stone, who recorded the footage, was one of about 20 riders going along the Texas motorway when they came upon Figueroa. He told CBS Radio station KRLD: "The officer kind of overstepped his boundaries of the law. If a bystander had done that, sprayed at people riding 55 in the road, I mean. I kind of want to see it treated like that."