BOY racers are making life a nightmare for people living near a Trowbridge retail estate and the police have launched a crack-down to solve the problem.

Residents living next to the Spitfire Retail Park in Bradley Road, home of outlets including McDonald's, Focus and Currys, say they are losing sleep because of cars speeding around the area late at night.

Teenagers use the parking area as a late night hang-out, driving around at speed and playing loud music.

One resident, who didn't want to be named, said: "They are revving up their engines and posing and the noise is absolutely awful. I can't get any peace and quiet at all. This just ruins the area."

She said the cars are sometimes there until 2am and use a route along Bradley Road and County Way and through the town as a racetrack before returning to the car park.

"It is not just the noise, it is also the danger. They think it is funny to drive up really close behind you when you're out in the car, which is very dangerous."

Under the Police Reform Act, which came into affect last year, officers have the power to seize cars or motorbikes from anyone caught driving carelessly on streets, parks or wastelands and can charge fines of up to £357 to release the vehicles.

Insp Glyn Hookings of Trowbridge Police said: "We have got problems at the Spitfire Retail Park relating to the inappropriate use of vehicles in terms of stereos turned up loud and using the park for wheelspins and hand break turns.

"We have started an operation called Operation Curb which has been focusing not just on the retail parks but around the town and we have had a number of successful prosecutions and have seized a number of cars under the Police Reform act.

"However, it doesn't seem to be dissuading them so we are working with environmental health to look at what we can do in terms of design to try and find a long-term solution."

The police are working with West Wiltshire District Council's environmental health department, McDonald's and the owners of the park, Friends Ivory Sime, to tackle the problem.

They are discussing measures including putting in barriers and CCTV cameras and trying to limit access to the site, which is open late for McDonald's customers.

Kate Bishop, from environmental health, said: "The police have certain powers and we have certain powers and we hope that, by working together, we can come up with a solution that we might not be able to separately."