Town raceway under threat

The future of Hednesford raceway has been thrown into doubt after council bosses started moves to stop its lease being renewed.

Hednesford Hills Raceway has been operating for almost 50 years and attracts crowds from across the country but Cannock Chase Council has opposed the lease renewal following complaints from residents over noise on race days.

There is also concern about an accident two years ago which left a spectator seriously injured.

Mother-of-four Jackie Edwards, aged 47 and from Clarion Way in Chadsmoor, was awarded a six-figure sum for damages after being hit by a safety tyre which bounced into the spectators' area when a car careered into it at an Easter stock car event in 2006.

The council has also instigated criminal proceedings against operators Incarace Ltd and director Phillip Bond in relation to three health and safety matters. The case is set to be heard at Stafford Magistrates Court on April 10.Mark Bond, spokesman for the raceway, said: "We employ about 100 local people, the raceway has 1,000 drivers registered from the region and thousands from across the UK and it brings in over £3million to the local economy each year.

"It's been integrated into the social fabric of the area since the 1960s and we have three generations of racers here. It is something that makes Hednesford town special.

"I can't really comment at the moment about the lease but we have been working closely with the council and we are happy that our health and safety practices are absolutely state of the art."

He added the firm was commissioning an investigation into noise levels at the raceway by a leading expert which was due in October.

By Dawn Fellowes