POLICE have offered talks with young drivers who congregate at weekends for car cruise meetings in a Bishop Auckland car park.

More than 100 drivers gathered in the Morrison's car park on Sunday after the town's Bondgate car park was blocked by police.

Some drivers honked their horns in protest at being stopped from using what has become a popular meeting place for the growing 'cruise culture'.

Police said that although there had been complaints from residents about the gathering at Morrison's no people were arrested.

Suggestions have been made that the closure of the car park would not deter the gathering and that Bishop Auckland would still be a popular place for the cruisers to meet.

Residents have been complaining for months about a minority that have been racing through the streets and across the Newton Cap Viaduct.

Reports of drivers doing wheelspins and handbrake turns have also brought complaints.

Cruiser Andy Potts, from Ferryhill, said he accepted that a minority had ruined things for everyone else, but said he and other members of the cruise scene only wanted somewhere to meet and chat to friends.

He said: "This is not something that we organise. It just happens. People just turn up and it is just getting bigger and bigger every week.

"We don't want to go to Morrison's or Asda, because it is private land. We went to the other car park because it was a public car park.

"There are cameras there watching and there is lighting so there is no damage done. What we would like to do is try to legalise it. We would be happy to talk to the police.''

Inspector Ivan Wood, of Bishop Auckland police, said he would be willing to meet some of the drivers to see what could be done to ease the situation and maybe reach a compromise that would keep both residents and cruisers happy.

He said: "I have no problem with people lawfully assembling and looking at each others' cars.

"We do have a problem with the minority who have broken road traffic offences.

"I am quite happy to meet with half a dozen or so to talk over the issues and find out what they want."