POLICE have launched an operation to rid Bishop Auckland's streets of boy racers.

The move comes after months of complaints from residents about dangerous driving, unacceptable noise, litter, harassment, and anti-social behaviour in the town's Forebondgate car park.

Operation Goldsmith started on Sunday night when about 200 cars gathered in the car park, which is at the rear of the town centre.

Beat Sgt Kevin Tuck, from Bishop Auckland Police, and fellow officers visited the car park with leaflets for the drivers - cruisers who meet to talk 'shop' about their cars.

He said: "We have been getting complaints from residents which have been attributed to those following the cruise scene.

"People are coming from all over County Durham to meet at the car park on Sunday nights. We accept that it is the minority of the group that are causing problems and I would like to stress that.

"One of the purposes of the operation is to appeal to the majority to use peer pressure to get rid of the problem.''

The leaflet states that the car park is not a suitable venue for cruising activities but says that 'lawful assembly and correct parking in the bays provided will not attract police attention.'

Among the complaints are reports of racing across the nearby Newton Cap Viaduct as well as speeding through the town centre.

Sgt Tuck said that concerns have been raised by local pubs that drinkers could be knocked down when walking from venue to venue. Members of the cruise world have already appealed for police help to rid their 'sport' of the minority, who have been labled 'idiots.'

One of the drivers who was in the car park on Sunday night has posted a message on a cruise web site saying "At least the coppers have respected us enough to tell us how it is.''

Sgt Tuck said that he hoped that he would get a good response from the leaflets.

He said: "We wanted to try and raise awareness of the problems the minority are causing and now we will wait and see how they respond.''

But he warned that the police would prosecute those who insisted on committing road traffic or anti-social behaviour offences.