CAMPAIGNERS believe councillors have one last chance tonight to act on their catalogue of complaints about the North-East's biggest motor-racing venue.

Noise from Croft Circuit has been an issue ever since the track was revamped in the mid-Nineties.

People with homes nearby claim there have been several breaches of a unilateral undertaking which governs noise from the venue - and that the local authority has failed to act.

Richmondshire District Council says its legal advisors have told them if the authority challenged the operators in court it would probably lose.

However, in January, the Ministry of Defence's use of the circuit for a helicopter exercise prompted a fresh flurry of letters from objectors.

Campaigners also called in the Local Government Ombudsman last summer, claiming the council had failed to deal with their complaints about the circuit properly.

Tonight the council's environment and planning committee meets in Richmond and will examine reports on both issues.

A third document also focuses on recent allegations that noise limits were exceeded in December and January and that cars were left outside designated parking areas around the track.

Officers have concluded that they have no power to prevent helicopters using the circuit while the council has been informed that the Ombudsman has ruled there is 'no or insufficient evidence of maladministration' relating to the authority's handling of residents' complaints.

The authority's own investigation into the incidents in January and December also concluded that there were no grounds for formal action against the circuit.

However, a spokesman for the campaigners, who asked not to be named, said he is hoping councillors will take a different view.

"This is their last chance to listen to what local people are saying. After all, the council is the only one that can put things right.

"At the moment, residents are so disillusioned with local democracy, they are beginning to feel that there is no point picking up the phone any more."