HUNDREDS of car enthusiasts from across the region have taken part in an all-day "cruise" for modified and customised cars.

The event, at Sedgefield Racecourse in County Durham yesterday, was designed to dispel the negative image associated with boy racers, and the event was organised with the support of the police.

Called Bish Bash 2, the event included a competition for the best modified car and a show and shine contest, as well as a casualty reduction talk and tyre safety demonstration.

The event, the second of its kind, was organised by the bish-cruise.co.uk website and was described as a huge success.

Organiser Andrew Woods, 24, said: "I'm over the moon. We had 200 cars at the first one, but we had that many in the first hour alone this time. The last one was mainly to prove to the racecourse that we could do it and people wouldn't mess about.

"It's surprising how many families we had and that's great, because one of the ideas was to prove that we're not the anti-social group that people think we are."

Chief Inspector Paul Goundry, the head of road police at Durham Constabulary, said: "We're here to support an organised cruise event, as opposed to the ad hoc ones that take place in car parks throughout County Durham.

"It gives us the opportunity to build a rapport with the hundreds of young men and women who take part in such events.

"I applaud the initiative of the Bishop Auckland cruise members who have organised this and hope it becomes a regular event."