POLICE are today hunting a man who terrified staff and customers at an Ipswich karting track when he pulled a knife following an argument.The man became irate when he was refused a free race at the Anglia Indoor Kart Racing circuit, at Farthing Road industrial estate, on Monday at around 7.

POLICE are today hunting a man who terrified staff and customers at an Ipswich karting track when he pulled a knife following an argument.

The man became irate when he was refused a free race at the Anglia Indoor Kart Racing circuit, at Farthing Road industrial estate, on Monday at around 7.45pm.

He then went on to demand a free refill for a drink he had purchased, and after a disagreement with another group of customers, produced the knife and brandished it at them.

Track owner Kevin Ward said: “He seemed to get annoyed because he was not allowed to race the karts without paying.

“Then he bought a drink, drank it, and demanded a free refill.

“There seemed to be some sort of disagreement with another customer which became physical, and one of my marshals broke them up.

“After he pulled out the knife, people tried to get away from him by running to a different part of the building, as there were parents with children around, and the police were called.”

The man, who had arrived with a group of around three other people who were not involved in the trouble, then fled on foot into the industrial estate.

No one was injured but Mr Ward said: “It was a frightening experience, there were parents there with their children, and the staff who were around were shaken by what had happened.

“This sort of thing has not happened before, we do not usually get trouble here.”

Have you been a victim of knife crime in Suffolk? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveninstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk