POLICE in Chippenham are cracking down on boy racers who are tearing around the town's Hathaway retail park.

Under new powers, officers can seize a car if the driver has received a warning about their behaviour.

Young motorists, who have been using the area as a racetrack sometimes as late as 3am, have already been warned and last month, police nearly seized their first vehicle.

WPC Rachel Webb, who has been working on the operation, said if boy racers ignored their advice, it would only be a matter of time before a car was pulled off the road.

"The park is situated near a residential area and people have made complaints because of the excessive speeding, use of horns and stunts that the drivers pull," she said.

"We ran a three-day operation in March using powers given to us under Section 59 which enables us to seize offenders' vehicles if their behaviour causes alarm or distress to members of the public."

More than 100 local residents, mainly from the Tequila Road area, put their names to a petition which was raised to try to put the brakes on the reckless motorists who are aged between 18 and 25.

WPC Webb said: "It is totally unacceptable and we are working closely with residents and businesses in the area.

"Five to six officers are helping with the operation and we are using video cameras and CCTV to catch the offenders."

Officers are now planning another operation which will take place over the coming weeks.

To help keep the youngsters out, barriers, which will be lowered overnight, have been installed at all the entrances to the main car park.

Lionel Dicks, manager of the retail park, was unavailable for comment.

Town councillor Sandie Webb, former chairman of the Town Centre Management Partnership, said there had been a history of problems in the area.

"Anything that will tackle the problem is a good idea but it could just shift them somewhere else.

"Maybe it would be easier to find out why they are doing it and find ways to occupy them.

"Any measures that are put in place might just save a life."

If a car is seized, the driver will have to pay £105 to get it back and a further £12 for every day it is in storage. If not claimed within a month the vehicle may be crushed.