POLICE have invoked powers allowing them to move on boy racers turning an industrial estate into a race track.

Essex Police have invoked a dispersal order at Severalls Industrial Estate after receiving regular reports of unauthorised cars cruises.

The complaints include dangerous driving, noise, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage.

The dispersal order will be in place from 7pm on Friday until 7pm on Sunday.

It covers the Severalls Industrial Estate and surrounding roads including Axial Way, Mill Road, Ipswich Road and Severalls Lane.

Officers will have the power to order people causing anti-social behaviour to leave the area and breaching any direction given under the order is a criminal offence.

Insp Jonathan Evans, of Colchester’s Community Policing Team, said: “While we have no issue with genuine car enthusiasts, these events are unauthorised and the dangerous driving of some of those taking part puts themselves and other people at risk of being hurt.

“We have had to deal with some minor injury collisions in the past and we’ve also had reports of cars driving dangerously to and from these gatherings.”

Chelmsford Weekly News:

On Boxing Day last year, three people were hurt when a a Volkswagen Golf was in collision with a parked Vauxhall Corsa and three pedestrians standing in a crowd.

The community policing, casualty reduction and roads policing teams have been carrying out patrols and speed checks and dealing with drivers for traffic offences.

Officers have also been liaising with businesses and Essex County Council to discuss ways of increasing security.

Mr Evans added: “The dispersal order is part of our ongoing work to tackle this issue and I urge anyone with information or dash cam or mobile phone footage of dangerous driving and other criminal offences to report it to us.”

Anyone with information about car cruising should contact Colchester Police Station on 101 or report online at www.essex.police.uk/do-it-online