RESIDENTS on a road which is part of an illegal racing track are pleading for help before someone is killed.

Locals living on Moss Lane, Farington, claim their lives are being put at risk by teenage boy racers who use the narrow lane to show-off their driving 'expertise.'

According to Jim Dobson, who lives on the narrow country lane, the young drivers start their races near to the double roundabout on Flensburg Way, speed up Flensburg Way before flying into Moss Lane - which is only wide enough for one car.

At the end of Moss Lane, they turn onto busy Croston Road - normally without reducing their speed - before racing back to the double roundabout.

Mr Dobson said: "We have complained about this every year for the past 15 years but nothing seems to be done about it. "It is often used as a rat run between the bypasses but the boy racers are the worst because they drive at such frighteningly fast speeds.

"The situation is now so bad that the road is breaking up."

Moss Lane becomes wider towards its junction with Croston Road, and the racers take the chance to overtake - often leaving them on the wrong side of the road when they reach the junction.

Mr Dobson added: "We think the problem could be solved if we put residents only signs up at both ends. We would then ask the police to park there for a couple of days just to reinforce that message."

County councillor Howard Gore, who serves the area, said: "I think the solution would be blocking up the road at one end because then it couldn't be used as either a rat run or a race track.

"I have spoken to County Hall about the idea and it is being looked at.

"In my opinion, 'residents only' signs wouldn't have the desired effect in the long term."

Borough councillor Mark Alcock said: "The residents have had to put up with enough. It is now time that something was done."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.