POLICE and council officers have revealed they are clamping down on racers accused of making the lives of residents in a Suffolk village a misery.Great Blakenham residents claim land at the back of electric motor firm Boardley and Roberts Ltd, based in Plummers Dell, is used for banger racing and say the noise is an ongoing irritation.

POLICE and council officers have revealed they are clamping down on racers accused of making the lives of residents in a Suffolk village a misery.

Great Blakenham residents claim land at the back of electric motor firm Boardley and Roberts Ltd, based in Plummers Dell, is used for banger racing and say the noise is an ongoing irritation.

The situation has been likened to so-called “lotto lout” Michael Carroll who staged banger races in the three acre garden of a Norfolk home he bought following a £9.7million lottery win.

One nearby resident, who does not wish to be named, said: “People have gone up to them and asked them to stop ruining weekends.

“There is the noise of them racing and in the summer there is a problem with dust because the land they race on is very dry.

“People bordering the land have their weekends ruined by the noise.”

A spokesman for Mid Suffolk District Council said the authority had fielded at least 10 complaints so far this year about the site and revealed a notice previously served on the site in relation to noise nuisance remains active.

“Over a longer period up to 20 of the local residents have complained,” the spokesman said.

“The majority of complaints have been made about the noise of cars,” the spokesman added.

Richard Boardley, who runs Boardley and Roberts Ltd, said he was not aware of problems on the site.

“We used to race go-karts on the land at the back which there were some complaints about but that was stopped a couple of years ago,” Mr Boardley said.

“Some of my sons and their mates do come down at night sometimes but don't race bangers in my yard.

“As far as I'm aware there is no issue,” he added.

Residents say they are suffering a double headache claiming cars are also driven at high speed on roads in the neighbourhood.

There is no suggestion the two issues are linked.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said the force is aware of the problem on the road.

“A number of these drivers concerned have been stopped and warned about their behaviour and warnings have been issued under the road traffic act,” the spokesman said.

“Because we have issued these warnings if that driver is caught offending again within 12 months it could end up in the vehicle being seized.

“There have been more targeted patrols in the area and also some speed camera enforcement as well,” the spokesman added.

Weblinks:

www.suffolk.police.uk

www.midsuffolk.gov.uk