Wokingham residents protest against noisy car meets

Protesters are calling for an end to car meets at the Carnival Pool car park in Wokingham

Noisy car meets in a town centre car park have prompted a protest from angry residents.

The Carnival Pool car park in Wellington Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, has been plagued by the meets for weeks, residents said.

Councillor Maria Gee said children had been hiding underneath their beds because the noise sounds like gunshots.

Wokingham Borough Council said incidents had reduced since CCTV was installed last summer.

But car enthusiasts said the vast majority simply wanted to show off modifications they had made and were not doing anything illegal.

When the BBC visited the car park near the town centre loud car revving could be heard.

Ms Gee said: "We're here today because the illegal car meets that are happening at the car park, which are very noisy and quite scary for local residents, have been going on too long and residents would like some action.

"It did stop recently but now it's started up again, and residents are just at the end of their tethers."

Car enthusiasts said the vast majority simply wanted to show off modifications to their cars

Resident Philip Waller said: "We don't want to stop people having fun, but at 10pm on a Saturday or Sunday night for two or three hours the sound keeps my wife and daughter awake, and these whole load of houses.

"These cars can be heard a mile off."

Councillor Pauline Jorgensen, the council's lead for transport, said the authority was setting up a new anti-social behaviour enforcement team.

She added she hoped consensus could be reached to extend the car park's opening hours so more enforcement powers could be used.

Wokingham Borough Council said it installed CCTV at Carnival Pool car park last summer