Police are putting the brakes on ‘thoughtless and selfish’ boyracers who have been keeping Sidmouth homeowners awake into the early hours for years.

Residents have been blighted by motorists ‘tearing up’ Manor Road at ‘up to 60mph’, pulling dangerous stunts in the car park and playing loud music into the night.

They say it is only a matter of time before there is another accident, so Sergeant Andy Squires has pledged to ramp up patrols of the area.

Manor Road resident Joyce Prankard said: “They’re there the majority of evenings – it’s all year round. I told the police I’ve had enough.

“They race around, and it’s not just in the car park – they tear up Manor Road and along the promenade.”

She said it was the same few mopeds and cars every time that speed up the road, often as theatregoers are leaving the Manor Pavilion, and race in the car park near her house, doing handbrake turns.

“They’re not all bad boys, but there are a few that come from far afield and cause trouble – they’re being thoughtless and selfish,” Joyce added.

She said she had been woken up at 1.30am and reported an incident to the police earlier in the year when she thought the trouble-makers were having a rave.

Joyce’s husband Ron said: “The police said they come from far and wide – they’ve seen the same few in Ottery and Exmouth.”

The boyracers have been an issue for as long as many residents can remember, and after witnessing a number of accidents they have warned it is only a matter of time before there is another.

Police have made the problem a ‘primary tasking’, so officers from the response crews will be joining the neighbourhood beat team patrolling the Manor Road car park to keep an eye on young petrolheads.