RESIDENTS in Tavistock say they are beginning to dread night time in town, due to constant noise created by groups of drivers racing up and down near their homes.

One resident, who lives near the town's Bedford Car Park, said people in the area were 'struggling' to cope with the nightly interruptions.

She said: 'They arrive quite early in the evening, they're coming into the car park and going out again, they drive round and round and it's become this huge meeting point, which has become a real issue for all the neighbours.

'I think a lot of people are just in despair. They are out there talking late at night, almost literally in our back gardens.

'They shout and laugh, they're fooling around and they constantly rev up their engines.'

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said the problem had become worse in recent weeks: 'It's affecting everyone really.

'We are struggling to get sleep — most of the buildings are old and Listed so there's nothing we can do about sound-proofing.

'The police have been absolutely incredible, they have been so supportive. We have been in touch with the council — we just hope they can come up with something.'a

Matt Miller of the Street Stylers Motoring Club, which often meets up with other club members in Tavistock, said the last thing they would want to do was disturb residents or cause offence.

'We are just interested in our cars, making them up and making them our own,' he said.

'We do meet at night, because we are working during the day. We just prefer to get together with our cars — we would rather spend money on them than going out getting drunk.'

Mr Miller said he and his friends were perfectly happy to use places away from residential areas to park up and chat.

He believed the problems were being caused by a few drivers who had 'discovered' Bedford Car Park during the recent ice and snow.

'I saw a little car down there I'd never seen before the other day — it was quiet because of the ice, but they were handbraking it in there, and this was during the day, when there were some cars parked.

'I think they are young, inexperienced drivers — they've found this big open area and they are ruining things for everyone else,' he said.

PCSO Kevin Walsh, of Tavistock Police, said police were aware of the problem and sympathised with residents in the area — some of whom had even been forced to change their rooms around in order to try and get some sleep at night.

He said: 'A lot of drivers used to congregate in the area round the back of Vospers. We worked to alleviate the problem so they've shifted on.

'They will go all around the county — it could be Tavistock one night, Paignton the next.

'The majority of them are really well behaved. We've got good relations with the Street Stylers — when we meet up with them they are quite well policed themselves, but obviously it draws hangers on and causes problems.'

PCSO Walsh said there could be anything up to 30 vehicles congregating at any one time.

He said: 'They see a large flat car park and they love it. The main problems are with screeching tyres, noisy exhausts and noisy stereos, but generally, when you have a large number of people together in the early hours of the morning, even if they are just talking, it makes a lot of noise.

'I guess a lot of them are just not aware of the implications of that noise for people living close by.

'We really need to find a long-term solution. We are working on it with the council — they are the owners of the property — the crime reduction sergeant has been down to the area and will be coming up with possible solutions that we can put to the council.'

PCSO Walsh said tickets had already been issued to some drivers whose cars were not road-legal — monitoring using unmarked police cars was also taking place whenever possible.

Louisa Wall, community safety officer with West Devon Borough Council, said: 'We have been made aware of issues in Bedford Car Park in relation to the anti-social use of vehicles and car stereos.

'West Devon Borough Council is working with partner agencies to find a solution to these problems as soon as possible.'