Residents on Bury St Edmunds’ Moreton Hall estate who have been blighted by nuisance boy racers have said “enough is enough”.

East Anglian Daily Times: Inspector Matt Paisley is urging people to come forward with information to help them tackle boy racing on Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds Picture: SUFFOLK CONSTABULARYInspector Matt Paisley is urging people to come forward with information to help them tackle boy racing on Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds Picture: SUFFOLK CONSTABULARY (Image: Suffolk Constabulary)

The problem of boy racers has reared its head again having been an issue on and off over a number of years.

Last year measures were agreed to tackle anti-social driving in Bury town centre through the use of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), but no such order exists on Moreton Hall.

Cliff Hind, chairman of the Moreton Hall Residents’ Association, said the racers were continuing to use new roads where residential streets meet the industrial area, and are now also using the new link to the A14.

Mr Hind, who has first-hand experience of being disturbed by the noise, said the situation had “now gone on for long enough and someone really needs to get a grip on this”.

As well as wanting more action from police, he said a PSPO was needed to stop the problem.

West Suffolk Council has revealed that the possibility of such an order on Moreton Hall is under discussion, with more information due in the public domain shortly.

And Inspector Matt Paisley, police locality inspector for Bury St Edmunds, stressed boy racing was a priority issue for officers and there would be more patrols, including from the new Kestrel team.

MORE: Meet the 7 new police officers recruited to swoop on prolific crime in SuffolkMr Hind said: “This has gone on for some years and it’s having a detrimental impact on residents. Noise is as bad as pollution and it needs sorting out.”

Moreton Hall resident Sue Meakin, a mum-of-three and grandmother-of-three, said boy racers had been the “bane of my life” for the last few years and believes they could be responsible for hitting and killing her cat Twix in June.

The 59-year-old, who lives off Skyliner Way, said she had even driven out a couple of times at night in an attempt to get descriptions, but they cleared off.

“I have never been fortunate enough to get anybody,” she said. “They start normally around 10/10.30pm at night and it’s just screeching. I think there’s motorbikes as well now.”

Mr Hind said he was concerned about “reprisals” if members of the public were to try and gather intelligence themselves, but Insp Paisley said there was nothing to suggest they should feel threatened.

MORE: Police take action over ‘boy racer’ activity on Moreton Hall estate, Bury St Edmunds“But the manner of driving and activity they are embarking on does pose a risk to the safety of other road users and residents,” Insp Paisley said.

He urged people to report information to police, even time frames and particular nights it is happening if more detailed intelligence like registration numbers is not possible.

He said they were working with local businesses over obtaining CCTV, and added dash cam footage was also vital.

“Part of the problem is trying to be in the right place at the right time and, if we can’t, it’s identifying the vehicles involved,” he said.

Insp Paisley said there was nothing to suggest the area was “becoming a Mecca for a wider audience” - more likely those involved are local.

Both the residents’ association and councillor Trevor Beckwith, who represents Moreton Hall on Suffolk County Council, have received complaints from residents about the boy racing, but Mr Beckwith added the problem wasn’t as bad as it had been before.

A West Suffolk Council spokesperson said: “We have been speaking to the Moreton Hall Residents Association, police and other stakeholders on Moreton Hall about the possibility of a PSPO to address the issue of speeding vehicles on the estate and that is under review.”

•Insp Paisley said the public should contact the police on 999 if they are witnessing dangerous behaviour. Information can also be reported to Suffolk police here, call them on 101 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.