Boy racers descend on car park

People in souped-up cars are descending on a Cannock supermarket car park for meetings organised via the internet, it has been claimed today.

Cannock has long been a magnet for so-called boy racers, particularly on Sunday evenings, but action has forced them off car parks elsewhere in the area and Tesco in Heath Hayes has become the latest haunt.

Store bosses have now vowed to work with police to curb the problem.

Supermarket security staff are alerting officers each time cars start to gather and are taking note of registration numbers.

But officers revealed their powers were limited as it was private land.

Sonia Oakley, who lives nearby, said she was calling police up to five times a week and complained the noise was so loud it made the windows of her house vibrate and her dog scared to go outside.

She said: "People come here, they are driving from all over the country to come to mess around on Tesco."

Large groups had been meeting on the nearby Sainsbury's store, in Voyager Drive, Cannock, until store bosses installed gates which are now locked when the store is closed.

Historically, Cannock's Linkway Retail Park was the prime meeting point due to its closeness to major roads such as the A5 and extensive measures were taken to stop the problem.

Sergeant Ant Richards, of Cannock police, said they were talking to the store.