A CLAMPDOWN on "boy racers" meeting at Teesside Park is to be extended across the area.

The operation tackling anti social driving caught 80 drivers speeding near the retail park in just 90 minutes one Wednesday evening.

Now Cleveland Police said it is extending Operation Eucalyptus across Teesside after it helped reduce problems.

Last Wednesday, May 11, only one person was issued with a warning, as Cleveland's Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger joined officers at Teesside Park.

Officers also took along the safety camera enforcement unit to educate drivers on the dangers of speeding.

Inspector Harry Simpson said: “We have received complaints of drivers racing each other, drivers beeping their horns and revving their engines alongside other antisocial driving at Teesside Retail Park on a Wednesday evening for a long time.

"However, we know that this kind of behaviour is not only contained at this location and so we will be widening the operation to cover other areas where members of the public tell us that antisocial driving takes place.

“I spoke to local employers at Teesside Retail Park last night and they tell me that there has been a noticeable decrease of vehicles attending the location on a Wednesday evening over the last few weeks and reports of antisocial driving have reduced.

“Those that were at the retail park last night did not cause any issues and the atmosphere was a complete contrast to when we visited six weeks ago. It seems that the enforcement approach appears to have had more of an effect on driver behaviours than the educational route, which proved fruitless."

Police and Crime Commissioner, Barry Coppinger, said: “It’s great to see the work that is being done to tackle antisocial driving and it shows that police are listening to concerns.”